Blood Pride and the Gilded Cage
by Redrose999
Summary: Crossover,FMA and Doctor Who, Edward and Al are held hostage in a German castle and forced to make Alchemy work.WARNINGS: Spoilers for series and CoS, EdXHei, EdXNoa, if you read into it Elricest: readers preference. Jack is bi, and likes to look.
1. Chapter 1

PROLOGUE

Jack

Jack Harkness had to hand it to the kid. He successfully sealed the gate. The portal to the other world was no longer a threat.

It was cold, and a breeze swirled snow around his feet. It was cold and biting, but he didn't feel it. His warm wool coat easily kept off the cold wet sting off. Captain Jack Harkness lay at a distance with binoculars in hand watching them. Just over the snowy knoll he was hiding behind he saw the object of his new mission. Two young men, no more than boys, standing on the road waving down vehicles as they passed by. They seemed harmless, children in the eyes of his society. The youngest, under his heavy German army issue coat, wore a blue suit jacket, matching slacks and white shirt, with suspenders. His clothes were large on him. He needed a belt to hold up the pants, and both sleeves and pants were rolled up. His long dark gold hair was tied tight at the nape of his neck, and tucked into his jacket. He carried a battered leather suitcase and trailed behind the older boy, occasionally stopping to point at something.

The other boy shared the same height as the younger. A leather thong in the back of his head bound his long yellow gold hair. He was dressed in a long brown frock coat, light brown slacks, a vest, and a white shirt. He was slender, and very pretty. Yet, his features were hardened, revealing a very uptight young man.

Pulling out his communicator Jack spoke steadily to his agency. "I found them, yes, I'm sure its Edward and Alphonse Elric. They both have gold eyes…" He paused checking the gadget on his wrist. "And their readings are off the chart. Should I try to intercept them before they make contact?"

"Your orders are to proceed according to plan." A voice rippled over the static.

"Damn," Jack frowned. They always insisted on doing things by the book. He shook his head, watching the elder Elric. He was darned cute, and legal to boot. Jack shook his head. It was unfortunate that these post WWII types were so narrow-minded. Edward Elric would make quite the catch. Well, he could dream couldn't he? "Copy, but we don't want to sit on this too long, I saw what these kids could do when they brought down the Thule Society three months ago. They're dangerous."

There was a pause; headquarters wasn't going to budge on this one. "You have your orders, Captain. Over and out." With a faint smile Jack Harkness shrugged. He had his orders, but he still didn't like it. Switching off his device, he continued to watch the youngsters. A truck pulled over and the boys were piling in the back.


	2. Chapter 2

1923

Alphonse Elric

The silver face of the full moon glittered down on the dark streets of Munich. It was an old city with medieval buildings and gabled houses. Electric lights illuminated its cobblestone streets like glittering stars.

People crowded the streets, filling the financial district below. It was normally quiet this time of night. Save for a few bars and beer houses most business were closed, and with the dying economy, people stayed home more often than not.

But tonight was different. Alphonse Elric wrapped his arms about his chest and gazed wearily down at the streets below. In the distance, he saw several men, dressed in gray uniforms with swastika armbands, carrying candles. They marched in rows, parading down the street followed by a few black cars. It was quiet, yet an eerily moving protest.

It churned Al's stomach and he had to look away. Many in the city were still in an uproar since Hitler's failed Beer Hall rally in November. Protest ragged regularly in the streets because he and his Nazi party were heroes to the people even though they used armed force in their latest debacle. The undying support of the Nazi party worried Al. With the Nazis so closely tied with the Thule Society, Alphonse was certain they were involved with the failed attempt to invade World of Alchemy two months ago.

Which inevitably would put he and Edward in danger, especially in Munich.

"It seems, we can't escape power hungry organizations, even here." Alphonse whispered, closing the window and blinds. It was a shame really; he had hoped he and Edward would find peace in their new home. Even with war looming over the horizon, Alphonse secretly wished the turbulent politics and turmoil shaking Munich would pass with a peaceful solution.

Their wanderings brought them back to Munich, and Edward returned to where he and his friends used to live so he could go through their stuff and lay to rest the last several months he spent with Alfons Heidrich and his rocket research.

The apartment was the type of place Al expected Ed to live. It was small, with a kitchen/living room combination and one bedroom. It was modestly furnished with a simple oak table, three chairs, a pull out couch and two beds. It wasn't very homey; Edward had no art or pictures to hang on the white plaster walls. The floors were dark hard wood with no carpeting. The older boy was too much of a wanderer to settle down in one place, and decorating wasn't one of his priorities and apparently Heinrich was too caught up in his work to care. It was plain, a place to sleep, study, and eat, and nothing more. The only thing of significance was a bookshelf near the window, filled to the brim with books on engineering, chemistry and physics.

Sighing, the younger Elric glanced across the small apartment at his brother. The 18 year old sat at the table, chewing on the back of a pencil, newspaper in hand, scanning the job listings. Puffing a breath of air, he brushed his long blond bangs from his determined stare. After a moment he sighed, dropping the pencil and paper to the table and burying his head in his arms. Edward had changed a great deal since their wanderings in Amestris. Physically he was very much the same man, perhaps a hair taller, and thinner, but he seemed tired if not a little depressed; which worried Alphonse. "I understand Hitler is a little obsessed with the mystical arts, Alchemy included. We'll have to watch our backs." Edward said meeting Alphonse's gaze with moist golden eyes. "We'll be fine, I'll take good care of you, Al, just like before."

Alphonse gave his brother a fond smile. When would he stop protecting him? "And I will take care of you, Brother, just like before. After all, that's why I couldn't leave you here, all alone."

They had arrived in Munich a week ago, and Alphonse was learning a about the new world he was now a part of. Though he didn't know enough to safely wander about alone. He had enough knowledge of the politics and culture to see there were close parallels to his world. The only major difference was Alchemy didn't work. This world was the conduit of Alchemical energy to theirs and had no dimensional outsource to let the science of equivalent exchange work.

Instead it was machines that guided this world. They took the place of master alchemists and their powers. As a result, history took another path. Al supposed Hitler existed in their world as well, but perhaps he was the architect he failed to be here.

Shouts outside made Alphonse wrap his arms about his small frame. Nazis didn't exist in his world. They were by far the most evil force they had encountered here. What made matters worse was they knew of the world of Alchemy and the powers that existed there. The last thing Alphonse and Edward wanted was for the Thule society to track them down.

In fact, they were so concerned about it, Edward hadn't even spoken to any of his neighbors, save for his landlady and only planned on staying long enough to deal with Alfons Heidrick's belongings and leave.

The 17 year old crossed the room and seated himself in the chair across form his brother. Pressing his face in his hand he studied Edward and frowned. His elder brother was pale and too thin. The famine and food rationing were taking a toll on him. "Brother," he began. "I'm worried about you."

Edward met his gaze and offered a devilish smile. "I guess that means avoiding those ugly rallies. We better stay in tonight."

He smiled weakly at Edward as the young man leaned back in his chair. For the moment, a mischievous smile crossed his face, and Edward Elric looked like his old self. He waved a finger in the air. "Yup, Hitler. I don't like him. Even if he is a short son of a bitch, he has all the makings of a real psycho and I hope he stays in jail until he rots!"

The boy lifted a brow and smiled wearily at his older brother. "I just don't know why they listen, brother, not at all."

Edward grunted, and came to a stand. Annoyance crossed his brow and, he looked toward the window. Faint flakes of snow were drifting down, and a cold breeze rustled the curtains. In the distance Alphonse heard the shouts from the crowd below. "He told them what they want to hear. They don't want to be responsible for their misfortune, he gave them a scapegoat. The last War did a lot of damage to the German people. Hitler boosted their pride and gave them reasons to justify their hatred for the Jews and other outsiders. Familiar eh? People don't change, wherever you go, no one wants to hear the truth, they'd rather stay in the dark and be blind."

Alphonse thought of the years they spent together searching for the Philosopher's stone. Edward was right, sometimes people didn't want the truth, and they just wanted someone to blame. The boy sighed heavily and shook his head. "Brother, what have we gotten ourselves into? Why can't people learn?"

Shrugging, Edward came to his feet, and crossed into the kitchen. It wasn't very large, but it was well equipped with a woodstove, icebox, large sink, wall cabinets, a counter top and an empty walk in pantry.

Next to the sink, Edward stashed the third chair for convenience. He was still unusually short and unable to reach the cabinets over the counter top. Using the chair, Edward reached the cabinet above his head and rooted around until he located a glass. "I stopped asking that some time ago." He informed jumping down and filling his glass with water. "I just get pissed off." He took a swallow and placed the glass in the sink. "Don't worry about it Al, we're not staying long. I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."

With a nod Alphonse watched his brother cross the room to a single door adjacent to the kitchen. He vanished inside, leaving Alphonse alone in the flickering gaslight. They were starting over in a world alien to them, and Edward had already butted heads with the political forces sweeping the land. How would they survive? No wonder Edward was frustrated; they were trying to move a mountain.

"Give it time." Alphonse whispered to himself in an attempt to restrain his own doubts and fears. He'd never admit it to his brother, but he was frightened and homesick.

Yet he knew deep down Edward must have been feeling far worse. Edward took full responsibility for Alphonse and would do everything in his power to make sure his younger brother was taken care of. And right now, their lives were far from stable.

The boy cleared his thoughts. To upset himself with things he could do nothing about would not help his brother or himself. With patience they could achieve anything. It paid off in the past, and it would do so now.

Shaking his head, the younger Elric came to his feet and walked toward the Bedroom. He too was feeling very weary.

&&&&

White snow blanketed the streets and buildings. It was lovely, and kissed the windows with delicate patterns of frost and ice. It reminded Al of Central back home.

By midmorning, the streets of Munich were bustling with activity. Residents shoveled the streets and sidewalks, and cleared the path for horse drawn carriages and automobiles. Large barrels filled with wood and coal burned near the alleys, and people huddled about stomping there feet and rubbing their hands over the warm fires. They spoke in low voices, mostly complaints about the weather and economy. The current economy stifled business and very few stores opened, and those that did had hideously high prices. The mark was nearly worthless and inflation was up to an unimaginable high. Yet people, dressed in heavy grey coats, and warm hats were out moving up and down the streets, some wandering aimlessly, others in search of the labor offices or food rationing stands.

Children played in the streets, kicking cans, tossing dice and slipping on the ice without a care in the world. Their play was only interrupted by the occasional automobile or horse drawn carriage passing by or shopkeeper shouting for them to leave his storefront.

The boy exhaled and watched his own breath puff out as frozen mist. It was very cold, and he was grateful for the warm frock coat, gloves and scarf bundled about his slender body. He preferred winter in the country. The city with its dirty snow and smelly streets was an unpleasant sight. Rizenbool on the other hand was beautiful, with its snowcapped rooftops and crystal coated tree branches sparkling in morning light. He missed home in the winter.

"Just see if you can scare up some bread and some fresh fruit!" Edward Elric shouted out the window as Alphonse stepped out onto the sidewalk below. Thanks to their father's Swiss Bank accounts they had enough to buy food and other necessities. Yet Edward and Alphonse were thrifty young men. They took only what they needed and preferred to work for they're living rather than take what Edward called blood money.

"Fruit, right…" Alphonse looked up. Ignoring the strange stares from the people around him, the younger Elric cupped his hand over his brow, and squinted at the sunlight in his eyes. He made out his brother as he leaned out the window, hands curled around the ledge. He was smiling like his old self, but then again, Edward Elric always got excited about food. "Anything in particular?" There was a famine and fresh fruits were hard to come by. Alphonse would be lucky if he found anything.

"Apples." Edward announced. "Noah likes them. It will be a treat for her when she comes back today!"

The gypsy girl was well known in town, and some people looked away and whispered to each other. An old woman dressed in a gray shall and dark thick clothing glared at Alphonse disapprovingly and mouthed the words "shame on you."

The boy's face reddened and he shifted his feet uncomfortably. Why did Edward have to mention Noah? Two young men living with a woman was seen as rather inappropriate and would make them stand out.

Then again, Edward didn't care about these things; he liked the attention, even if Alphonse preferred the quiet. Cringing, Alphonse tried to ignore the woman, and the stares. It was only a matter of time before Edward noticed. "Yes, brother." Alphonse looked up through his sandy brown bangs.

Noticing Alphonse's embarrassment, Edward's gaze narrowed and he fixed his attention on the on lookers. "Hey… What the hell are all you staring at? Can't a guy get his breakfast without a audience?" He waved his hands, annoyance flaring in his voice. "God Damn it! You'd think this is a sideshow or something!"

Nope, nothing out of the ordinary here, Alphonse shook his head. With a sigh, the youth puffed out his dark blond bangs. He turned on his heal and swiftly began to walk. Someday, Edward would realize he was a sideshow. "Well, there goes keeping a low profile… Guess I can look at the bright side, no one mentioned his height…"

&&&&&

Edward Elric

"Now, where was I?" Edward Elric asked himself. Wearily, he stared at the notes scrawled on the papers before him. Distantly he heard the shots from the Germans below his window as they cursed his mother and whomever else they could blame for his birth. He caused quite a stir turning a normally mundane morning into one his neighbors would never forget. Not that he did it deliberately. Edward Elric had no idea how to speak with people. He had a short temper and little patience for others. Especially when it came to his business.

Germans were nosy and opinionated and made judgments unscientifically. Something that annoyed Edward to no end. Running his hands though his pale golden hair, Edward sighed. With an effort, he tuned the voices out and let his mind focus on his notes. He had recorded their travels and his research into rockets for some time and was finally going through them and wondering if they were any use to him now.

The letters were blurry, and he was forced to lift the notes up close to see them clearly. "Crap!" He cursed, dropping the notebook and rubbing his eyes. Why couldn't life give him a little break? "I can always use father's glasses," he thought, but shook his head. His eyes were horrid yet, and he could see the print perfectly fine if he lifted the notes off the table. But it was inconvenient, especially since research was vital to his very way of life.

Frustrated he pushed aside his notes and studied the pile of books, scatted over the table. Most of the material was based on Alfons Heidrich's research. Heidrich and he spent months together working on rocket propulsion under Oberth.

Twitching, Edward lifted Alfons Heidrich's personal notebook up and tried to get the gumption to open it. Al was looking through it earlier that morning, curious about his doppelganger.

Edward avoided Alfons's notes, they reminded him too much of their time together. A time he spent trying to get home and not realizing how much the people around him cared for him. He had totally disregarded Heidrich's friendship and only saw him for the face he wore: the face of his younger brother. Carefully he opened it, and flipped through the pages of neat script. He remembered how Alphons carefully performed and recorded their experiments. Terminal ill Alfons Heidrich wanted to make a mark and change the world before he passed on. It was what kept him alive.

Tears filled Edwards eyes, blurring the print more and making it impossible for him to see. The young man drew a sharp breath and slapped the book closed. The Thule society murdered the young scientist and in the end he was responsible for the young man's death.

Struggling to keep the tears at bay, Edward squeezed the notebook in his hands and bowed his head into its leather bindings. Alfons Heinrich died saving him and here he was going through his work like it was just letters on a page.

Gritting his teeth he looked up, well aware he could easily lay claim to Alfons's work for himself.

No, he would send the note book to Obreth, Alfons would want that and let his work live on.

He placed the book into the box, than stacked the rest of the books on top of it. In good conscience he couldn't continue Alfons's work.

No, rockets would do him no good now; perhaps, he would do some research on Electricity, and travel to America to meet with Edison.

Wouldn't Alfons Heidrich want him to be happy if he were stuck in this world?

Edward breathed deep, realizing he was out of breath and feeling weary. Yet the day hadn't even started. He had to make plans, were would they go? What universities could they travel to and learn from? What science could he make his mark with?

There were many brilliant scientists he fancied to talk with. Einstein for one, or Tesla even Chemist Walther Nernst. What Edward would give to study their research? At heart he was a nomad, and wanted to travel the world learning what ever he could, but now that Al was there, he had responsibilities.

So much to do, he was a genius, but not even he knew where to start.

He side glanced his bedroom, realizing he had collected many books concerning Tesla, and was fascinated with the man's research on electromagnetic fields and cosmic rays. And what sort of wonders could he do if they harnessed cosmic rays? Was it true that Tesla created a death ray capable of leveling 400miles of trees in 1908 in Tunguska?

"Hump, I could have done it." Edward said aloud. Coming to a stand, he tightened his fists and smirked manically. "I was an alchemy GOD!"

He smacked his fists against the table. The dull pain of misfiring nerves, vibrated up his automail arm. It reminded him of how foolish he had been in the past. He wasn't a God, just a child with more power than he deserved.

But he was stripped of it now. He was as mortal and helpless like everyone else.

An ache in his left hand made him frown. Reluctantly he lifted his hand and studied the flesh as a bruise appeared across the soft human flesh. He hadn't struck the table that hard. If he had, the automail would have damaged the thin sheath of artificial skin covering on it.

Odd, he never bruised that easily. Why now? "Vitamin deficiency." He thought. He hadn't been eating well. Clumsily, he rubbed his palm with his artificial hand. He had to eat better and get more rest.

There was a knock at the door. Exhaling, Edward walked over to it. "Hang on Al!" Al was earlier than he planned, but then again it would give them more time to clean the place for Noah's arrival.

He smiled and realized he was excited about seeing the girl. She was exotic, and good at heart, nothing like Winry, but a good person nonetheless.

Jerking the door open, Edward Elric was surprised to see a dark haired man who looked identical to Roy Mustang in a dark pinstriped suit standing there. He smiled down "Guten tag, Herr Elric!" his voice was thick with a strong German accent. "I am Mr. Gustave Kaiser, I understand you are an Alchemist. I would like to hire you…"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 2

Kidnapped 

Despite the rationing, Alphonse found three loaves of bread, some cheese, and three apples. It was enough for breakfast and lunch. Hefting his paper bag in his arms, the boy wove his way though the streets. With its old medieval brick buildings, Munich reminded him of Central City. He loved the churches with their flying buttresses and gray stone spires. The central square was a mixture of Gothic colonnades and regency manors. The workmanship was amazing, and Alphonse admired stonework.

Without thought, the younger Elric dashed across the Odensplatz towards the financial center and home. The Odensplatz was a large brick courtyard, dedicated to fallen German soldiers.

Paying their respects, people gathered in front of the Feldhernhalle. It was an open building, with a set of stairs leading up into a raised mausoleum. At the top of the stairs, two stone lions looked down from their marble perches, guardians of the soldier tombs that lay beyond. Several uniformed men were standing on scaffoldings between in front of the arched memorial hanging a red flag with a swastika in the center.

Alphonse stopped, looking at the flag. It rustled in the wind, almost covering the entrance to the building. A couple walking by him paused to salute the flag and continued on.

Hugging the grocery bag closer, they boy swallowed. How could they keep a low profile in a city that welcomed their enemies? It seemed unfair. He and Ed were better off traveling with the gypsies. With a sigh, he turned; thankful his face was not yet known to their enemies. Even if he did take Alphonse Heinrich's place, he looked different. Heinrich wasn't a young boy and most adults failed to take 13 year old children seriously.

Even if they were really 17, it was the body that counted.

With a heavy sigh, the boy forced back his fears, and turned away. It wasn't long before he spirited himself away from the memorials and was strolling down the dull, cracked gray pavement of the city sidewalk.

The market place was quiet, though a few people wandered the streets and occasionally paused in front of shops that captured their interest. Very few took notice of him, which satisfied Alphonse. Unlike Edward, he hated being the center of attention and liked to go about his business unnoticed.

"Alphonse?" A familiar voice startled him to a halt.

Only one person beside his brother knew him in Munich. Wrinkling his brow, the younger Elric brother looked around for the source.

Standing in shadows of the ally across from him was Noa. The delicate dark skinned gypsy girl gave him a shy smile. She was dressed in her long flowing skirts with a colorful shawl draped over her ruffled white blouse. Her dark eyes met with his and glinted with a hint of sadness.

She was earlier than he expected and hiding away from the hustle and bustle of Munich's citizens.

But who could blame her? They hated her kind. "Hello, Noa." Out of concern for her safety, Alphonse joined her in the ally. "How was your trip?" he asked, recalling how the girl insisted on leaving them for a short while. Though he wasn't sure why. Edward claimed she had friends and distant relations in Austria.

Noah shifted her gaze to her fingers as she twisted one of her many rings. "It went well." She said awkwardly. "But I was eager to come back. How is Edward?" Her large eyes peered up and searched the empty boxes and trashcans in the ally.

Alphonse noted fear in her gaze. How could he be so thoughtless? If the authorities saw them, the girl would certainly be arrested. Like many gypsy women, many thought she was a prostitute. With a kind smile, Alphonse extended a hand to her. "How foolish of me, Noa. Lets talk in a place more comfortable than this… Edward is…"

His brother's name barely left his lips when something seized him from behind. He yelped, as the bag in his arms dropped to the ground and his body was pivoted into a brick building. He struggled instinctively to free his limbs, but his right arm was pinned against the building and his left was behind him. Rough hands yanked the limb until it buzzed with agony.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spied Noa. She stood motionless, arms wrapped about her chest, tears streaming down her face. She had betrayed them, and yet young Alphonse stayed his anger and disappointment aware she was suffering. She was being coerced.

"Noa! Warn my brother!" The boy gasped. He twisted dragging his arm up and feeling the sting of flesh peeling away as it rubbed against the biting bricks.

"We'll have none of that." A deep voice whispered in his ear. A hand holding something cold and wet pressed over Alphonse's mouth and nose and a pungent stench assailed his senses. Dizzying spots of colors swam before his eyes and it was difficult to keep moving.

"Still yourself boy, you don't want to hurt yourself!" A voice breathed into his ear. "What would your father think if I were so careless?"

Father? Blackness feathered his vision, and he felt the cold biting surface of the brick against his cheek fading. With an effort, Alphonse jerked, in an attempt to move his face from the drugged rag. Yet he was too small to break the iron hold. It only tightened with his struggles.

A moment later he fell into darkness.  
&&&

"Alchemy? You're wasting your time, Herr Kaiser." Edward said flatly. Kaiser wasn't Roy, but Edward couldn't help but think of his friend when he looked at him. He certainly knew things the way Roy did, yet his eyes were colder, crueler than the former Colonel. He never did trust Mustang, Kaiser was no different.

How did Kaiser know he was an Alchemist? Edward studied the man, curious. It was possible he was a member of the Thule Society. "Chemistry and Physics give better results." He folded his arms, gaze capturing Kaiser's cold dark eyes. Edward had seen eyes like his before. They were prideful, like his alter self. The kind of eyes that belonged to a man who got what he wanted regardless of the costs. "So tell me, how do you know about me? I'm more established for my research with Oberth and rockets, than Alchemy."

Kaiser chuckled and clasped his hands so Edward could see a very large ring with a red garnet and a royal seal on its face. Kaiser was a German duke. "You see Herr Elric, your father was a brilliant man. And he spoke very highly of your talents when he was assisting the Thule Society."

"Hum, so you're a Nazi?" Putting his hands on his hips, Edward lifted a pale brow and studied Kaiser. He didn't hold himself like Mustang. Mustang was arrogant, but he was military and well disciplined. Kaiser was self-centered, and nobility.

"I hate Nazis, they're ignorant bastards pretending they are educated."

"And you are not?" Kaiser looked genuinely surprised. He folded his hands and steepled his fingers, curious. "With your genius and Aryan features, I am surprised. You could go far in the Society, my friend; your understanding of the occult surpasses even the so-called experts. You could have incredible power… But, yes, I understand your hostility. Fraulein Eckart's attempt to grasp the power in Shambola resulted in the death of your father." Kaiser lifted a hand and gestured to the window. "To answer your question, I travel in such circles boy, yet I also stand out side of them. They are a passing fancy and I am willing to forgive your noble attempt to prevent my fellow countrymen from harnessing your world. I am not involved in what they do. I am independent, so you need not to be concerned about me turning you into my Nazi allies. We have an agreement."

Edward stared blankly at the man. It boggled his mind. How could Kaiser assume he supported the Thule Society and their dreams of Aryan superiority through occult power? Just because he understood Alchemy and science, did not mean he casually tossed aside respect for others, as the Thule did. Yet none of these things seemed to occur to Kaiser. He thought of power as the sole driving force behind a man's motives. It spoke volumes about the man to the young Alchemist.

Edward's time with Hughes taught him to recognize exactly what kind of person Kaiser was. He may have been Roy's doppelganger, but he was nothing like the man. He was a sociopath.

Carefully, Edward walked into the living room. Hidden under his couch cushions was a Browning pistol. If his hunch was right, he would have to make a run for it, find Al and Noa and escape Germany. He would need the weapon.

"What sort of agreement?" He tried to hide the anger in his voice. He wondered if Kaiser had thugs waiting outside the door and how Kaiser would signal for them.

"They will leave you alone, if you come to work with me. Your father…"

"Was weak, and a fool." Edward spat. He slipped his hand between the cushions and eased the gun up and into his jacket's pocket. There was no way he'd show the man fear. Sociopaths thrived on it. "And I am not him, Herr Kaiser."

"But you have a brother. I understand he is young, a child… Alphonse is it not?" Kaiser walked about the apartment casually, looking at the bare walls. "Do you think it is fair to raise a child on the run? How can you expect to give him the life and education necessary to survive on an alien world?"

They were aware of Al and most of all, they knew his nomadic ways. A cold chill goose pimpled the flesh on his left arm. It could only mean one thing; Kaiser and the Thule had spies watching them.

Edward's heart thudded against his chest. Fear knotted his gut and became very concerned for his brother. Al was no child, and the 17 year old knew how to fend for himself but he was trapped in a 13 year olds body with no Alchemical powers. "Al and I are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves. If you knew our father, than you'd know we've been doing it since we were children." The young man came to a stand, features stern and unyielding. He bunched his fists. "Now, get the hell out of my apartment. I have no interest in working for a Nazi. You're the bastards who killed Alfons Heidrich and nearly destroyed my WORLD…" He stalked up to Kaiser, and craning his neck so he meet Kaiser 's gaze. He did a swift gesture to the door. "You know the way out. Or are you going to give me the pleasure of tossing you out on your ass?"

Kaiser frowned, stony features washing over with disappointment. Across the room, a gentle breeze rustled the pages of one of the open books on the table. Edward wrinkled his nose, smelling the stench of the city streets below.

Kaiser sighed. "Very well, Herr Elric. If you are not interested in what I have to offer, I suppose I will have to look elsewhere." He turned as if to leave, then paused as if stuck by an afterthought. "We will at least part as gentlemen, will we not, Herr Elric? I have a great deal of respect for your talents." He extended a hand to the former Alchemist and smiled thinly. "I wish you luck, it will not be comfortable for you and your brother in Munich. I suggest you leave, and do so soon. England will be safer for you."

Kaiser was difficult to read, but it was safe to assume the man was trying to lull him into underestimating his true intentions. Yet Edward Elric wasn't convinced and wanted to let him know it. With a sly smirk, Edward took his hand with his automail one. If Kaiser had anything up his sleeve, the artificial limb would be protection. His real hand discreetly hovered near his pistol's pocket. "Well, to be honest, I can't say the same for you." Edward said with a sneer. "I hope the Nazis and all their kind are stopped and seen for what they really are. Now get the hell out of here."

Returning the young man's thin smile, Kaiser's right hand dropped on Edward's shoulder, near his exposed throat. "A pity, Mr. Elric, I could make you a very powerful man. Your brother would be safe and you comfortable. But you've given me no other choice, but to leave…"

Shrugging the hand off, Edward felt a sharp pain, like a small needle sinking into his flesh. Instantly the room around him titled and his vision fuzzed.

"But not without you." Kaiser lifted his hand and twirled his ring. "Archaic, but useful isn't it? In the past is was how my relations poisoned their enemies…"

The ring, a wash of embarrassment and rage flooded the elder Elric as he watched the man's face before him brighten. "You son of a bitch!" Clumsily, he tried to seize the gun in his pocket, but his coordination was off and he staggered into the doorframe. Numbness prickled down from his neck, into his hands torso and legs. Fighting his dimming vision, Edward slid to the floor. How could he be so stupid?

And where was Alphonse?

Kaiser watched, silent pleasure glinting in his cold gaze. As if he read his mind, the man spoke. "Ohh, my dear boy, don't worry about your brother. He will be a guest at my estate as well… You see, I don't take no for an answer, Herr Elric, especially from children." He reached down, lifting the young man's face. "You have spirit, I was warned about it, but I have more than enough patience to crush it. Let that be a warning, my boy."

He'd never break; Edward forced his eyes to stay open. Many had tried to destroy him in the past and failed. Kaiser was no different. Fighting the whirls of translucent spots encroaching on his vision, Edward managed to force himself up to his feet. The automail was heavy, and moving it was impossible. "Temporary set back…" The youth slurred. The man's features distorted then faded into gray nothing. Seconds later he was falling, but was unconscious before he hit the floor.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 3

Prisoners

Edward Elric

A relentless pounding brought him to his senses. Slowly, Edward Elric became aware he was swimming in blackness and unable to recall anything beyond the pain coursing through his aching head.

His young body felt stiff, and buzzed with agony as awareness returned. Several endless moments passed before he was able to muster enough strength to crack an eye open.

Bright lights forced him to blink, until finally his eyes adjusted. The world twisted and floated before him, and it was difficult to discern where he was or what was happening around him. He was sitting up, back propped against what felt like the soft velvet cushion of a wooden chair. In front of him was a table, with servants moving about in a blur. He could make out the clanking of dishes and the aroma of freshly cooked meats, vegetables and breads, but his confused mind was unable to understand what it meant. Yet, his mouth watered as he dreamily wondered where he was and why he felt like hell.

Slowly, his senses began to return and he was able to make out the room he sat in. Indeed he was at a table, with fine gold utensils and china dishes. Gothic candleholders with flickering candles sat in the center, surrounded by plates of bread, fruit, prepared vegetables and a variety of carved meats. More food than he had seen on a table in years.

The room itself had a high arched marble ceiling with carved scallop shell trim and frame work. The walls themselves were marble, with gold and white paisley velvet wallpaper with elaborate medieval tapestries of the hunt. Stoic suits of platemail amour dating from the old days of Prussian royalty stood stationed at each panel, numbering 13 in all.

It was the dinning hall of a German castle, however, Edward saw no windows; only the high ceilinged walls and buttress support columns of an inner room.

The table was dark mahogany with lion clawed feet with matching red velvet chairs.

Adjacent to him a small form was slumped in a chair. It was Al. His long tousled honey gold hair was loose and falling out of his ponytail, and he still wore his white short collared shirt and open vest with brown breeches. The same clothes he had worn when he left to pick up their parcels at the store. The boy stirred, his tiny form dwarfed by the chair his wrists were bound too.

Anger twitched Edward's face. On Alphonse's face was a dark and bloodied bruise. Their hosts had taken the boy with a fight, and injured him.

Unlike Al, he wasn't bound. Why their host underestimate him was beyond him, but a stroke of luck nonetheless. Reaching, he curled a hand around a knife placed next to his dinner plate.

"If you are to have some bisque, Herr Elric, it is best to use a spoon." A familiar accented voice said from the room's entrance.

A servant placed a bowl full of soup on the table before him. It was red, colored with a tomato base, and smelled of, wine, fresh herbs and seafood. Edward froze, brow wrinkling as the same servant poured a glass of red wine in the goblet before him. "Who…"

"You wound me, young Elric, how could you forget so soon? My name is Gustave Kaiser." The gentleman crossed the room and seated himself at the head of the table, across from Edward. He was dressed in a dark suit, and had steely blue eyes that scanned the table with cold fire. He snapped his fingers, and called to the servant. "I would like some wine." As the servant crossed the room, those cold blue orbs focused on the bottle in his hands. "I chose a Merlot for dinner, I hope you do not mind. It goes well with red meats. It is a good year, but I am afraid it will do your headache no good. However, I wouldn't blame you in your present circumstances, if you risk it."

Kaiser was so damned smug it annoyed Edward. Frustrated he shook his head, and ran his hand through his hair. If he could only remember what happened. Whatever drug they used on him affected the memory, and he seriously doubted he'd ever recall how he came to be there.

There were more important things to worry about. His attention shifted over to his brother. Al's honey brown eyes were open. However, they were glazed and unaware as he blinked blankly at the wall across from him.

"Al!" Unsteadily Edward came to his feet, and grabbed the edge of the table. Wobbly, he edged his way over to his brother, mind racing. Al made no response to his voice, nor did he notice Edward's approach. The 17 year old only stared into space. His mind lost in another world.

Panicked tightened Edward's gut. He had to make Alphonse know he was there. With an effort, Edward grabbed the boy's shirt collar and gently gave the lad a shake, "Al! Wake up! Can't you hear me Al?"

Al's head rolled and his chin lifted. A flicker of recognition washed over the young man's face. For a moment, the fog in his gaze cleared. "Brother?"

"Yes, yes it's me." Ed replied, feeling a pang of relief. He released the youth's collar and patted him on the head. Not that he was frightened, he had been in far worse situations in the past, but he was worried. Al's human body had limits, unlike the suit of armor he was trapped in the past. Kaiser had leverage against him until he came up with an escape plan. "It's ok, Al, I'll take care of you…"

Al squinted, confusion wrinkling his young brow. He was fading. "Hmmm?" Edward was positive the boy hadn't heard him. The boy was drugged.

Edward glared at Kaiser, fists forming. "What the hell did you do to him?"

He made a step toward the man, but a servant grabbed his shoulders and shoved him unceremoniously into his chair.

"I strongly suggest you try some of the soup, Mr. Elric, our chef will be very disappointed if you don't." The servant said, handing a spoon to the teenager.

"I'm not hungry!" Edward tossed the spoon and it clanked against one of the suits of armor. "Now, tell me what the hell did you do to him?"

"Opium." Kaiser said, casually sipping at his wine. "He is unharmed, but I have limitless resources at my disposal, and your brother's stay here could be very interesting to say the least." He lowered his cup, and picked up his spoon. Watching Edward carefully, Kaiser took a sip of soup and smiled at his servant. "Tell Hans, it is a fine Bouillabaisse. He had exceeded himself.

The servant bowed, "Very well sir. Shall I bring one for the young master?" He glanced to Al. "He may want to eat something when he recovers."

"Yes, of course Rudolph. Please. " Rudolph turned on his heal and walked to the door. The two-armed guards let him pass and closed the dark wood doors behind him. Four other servants remained, two of them large armed men dressed in white coats and black slacks. Kaiser lowered his spoon and turned his full attention to Edward. "You're brother's head will clear soon enough, but it will give me enough time to explain your new position."

Edward snorted, stubbornly folding his arms. He was angry, yet too weak and shaky to do anything about it. "Position?"

Kaiser folded his hands and thinly smiled. "I own you." He said flatly. "And you will work for me, until I get what I want. Until then you will stay here. Your life will be very comfortable, I will provide your every need, and even give you proper pay for a scientist of your genius. Once you are finished with the task I request, you and your brother may leave, as very rich men."

Edward shifted in his chair, "and if I don't cooperate?"

Kaiser's smile vanished and he tapped his wine glass. "You care a great deal for your brother, yes?"

Straying a glance to Alphonse, Edward paled. He knew what was coming. He loosened the collar of his shirt. "Yes."

"He will suffer. I will start by breaking his arm and perhaps his hands, we can go from there." Kaiser fixed Edward with a cold unyielding gaze, and then turned to his meal. "Think about it, wisely, Herr Elric."

Clenching his teeth, Edward struck the table with his fists so hard the soup bowl and glass shook. "You son of a bitch!"

The two servants standing near the door crossed the room and stood beside Alphonse. Edward's rage grew and he motioned to spring, when Rudolph entered the room carrying a bowl on a tray.

Kaiser sat back, his face amused. "Sit down, Herr Elric. Unless you want your brother to miss this fine meal."

As he spoke, one of the men unbound Al's right arm and took the limb in his hands. The boy's eyes focused, and his attention fixed on the man standing over him. "Brother, I see things still haven't changed, we're still finding trouble where ever we go…" He said, voice slurring as he struggled to take in his surroundings. "Where am I? And why is Roy threatening me?"

At least Al was his usual calm self. Edward's heart thudded against his chest, as he stiffly dropped into his chair. "I don't know, Al. And he's not Roy, he just looks like him; remember how I told you about the alters? He's like Gracia and Hughes." Tense, he exhaled, trying to tame his anger. He had to control himself. He had no idea where they were or the layout of the estate they were in. If they were to escape, he would need to plan and time. "All right." Edward looked at Kaiser defeated. "I'll cooperate. Leave Al alone."

The servants finished untying Alphonse, and stepped away. Puzzled, the boy dropped his head in his hands and rubbed his brow. "Alter Roy… Incredible."

"I heard you had duplicates of people in your world. Amazing, I must some day learn about this, Roy." Kaiser seemed amused. He relaxed into his chair and beamed at Alphonse. "Ahh, evening, young Elric! Please have some Bouillabaisse! We are celebrating your brothers decision to work for me!"

Al lifted his head, uneasily glancing at Edward. "Edward?"

Edward sighed and watched Rudolph place the bowl of soup in front of the boy. "We're prisoners, Al." Edward explained biting back his fury "This is Herr Kaiser, our Host." He emphasized the word host sarcastically. Reaching out, he grabbed a roll and took a bite.

Alphonse touched his own cheek dazed. He squinted his eyes, "Host? Well then, perhaps you can answer my question, where is Noa and what threat did you use on her to get her to work for you?"

Edward had to give his little brother some credit. He was unfailingly polite. "Noa? Noa's here?"

Kaiser's face twitched. "Yes. It is our business why she is here. I apologize, Alphonse, it is up to her to answer your question."

Once more, Edward fought his rage. Their situation was growing worse by the moment. He was now responsible for two people. Narrowing his brow, he focused on the on Kaiser. "You have all the cards." He said flatly. "What do you want me to do?"

"To find a new gateway and to make Alchemy work here." Kaiser opened his hands in a broad gesture. "A man of your talents will be able to discover one if it exists."

Alchemy didn't work on this earth because it was the energy source for Alchemy on Edward's "Earth". As far as Edward knew, this Earth had no gateway to draw alchemical energy. It only opened one way.

Yet didn't that go against the properties of Equivalent Exchange? If this world was THE power source for the world of Alchemy, wouldn't it be reasonable to think there was a power source for it? Equivalent exchange; it was just a matter of finding it?

Edward folded his arms, lifting a brow. Noa saw the future and into people's pasts. How? There had to be a source for it. Edward nodded. In the end, Kaiser's task would benefit him.

He'd have the power to escape with his brother and Noa. He'd also make Kaiser pay for his insults and threats. "And if there is no source?" Edward asked. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Alphonse. The boy neatly placed a napkin on his lap and tested the soup.

"Than you are free to go." Kaiser said lifting his wine to his lips once more. "Of course, it could take you years, Edward, so I wouldn't plan on leaving anytime soon."

"What do you plan to use Alchemy for?" Alphonse asked. He lowered his spoon so it lay on the edge of his bowl (their mother would have been very proud of his manners). His young brow wrinkled. "Brother, I don't feel comfortable having you do this research when we have no idea what he wants it for. How many people in our world suffered from Alchemists abusing their powers? Do you want the people of this Earth suffer to?"

Alphonse had the habit of asking the difficult questions. Questions Edward feared asking because he knew the answers were ones he didn't want to hear.

"What I do with such powers is my business, Alphonse. If you prefer a short and very painful life, I suggest you take this up with your brother, later on. He is the one who made the decision. I for one would rather enjoy dinner." Kaiser lifted a finger when Alphonse went to object and gestured to the food. "Enough boy, this is business between your brother and I. You have little say in the matter."

"Even when it's my life you're using?" Alphonse snapped. He looked back to Edward, annoyed. "Brother? This isn't fair!"

Bowing his head, Edward sighed. It was very difficult to make Al angry, and Edward suspected Al was down right furious. The younger brother was devoted to him and had a strong sense of responsibility. Being used as a hostage was enough to stretch the boy's patience. Edward couldn't blame the boy, Alphonse was right. What Edward was doing had the potential of killing thousands, but he had promised to protect Al. He just hoped the boy would understand.

Resigned, he slugged down his glass of wine. "Life is unfair, Al. We'll discuss it later. Just make the best of it."

&&&&&

"You're not making the right decision." Al said, wincing as Edward placed a warm damp cloth on his bruised cheek. Its heat soothed the battered swollen flesh and made the sting fade into a dull throb.

What was Edward thinking? Certainly he was aware that men like Kaiser were implacably evil and almost never kept their promises. Even if Edward thought he could trick the man, the consequences to other lives would be dreadful.

"You know me better than that, Al." Edward said. He lifted the cloth and checked the swelling. "Hell of a bruise there little brother, I hate to say it, but you fared better in these scrapes when you were living in that suit of armor." He forced a bittersweet smile, then handed Al the compress. "It's usually me who's the punching bag. I don't know if I like the trade."

Alphonse placed his hand on the cloth and held it fast to his cheek. "He's going to kill me anyway, once he gets what he wants. So it really doesn't matter, does it?" Alphonse exhaled and flopped back on the bed he sat on. He looked at the elegant golden embroidery on the bed's velvet canopy. It was a vine and rose pattern and reminded him of some of the wealthy homes he had seen on his world.

Sighing, he rolled his head. Edward pressed his back against one of carved cherry bed pillars and stared off at the wall. His features were thoughtful, as if he was thinking about Al's words. "I'm not a fool, Al. I know what kind of man Kaiser is. He is the kind of Coward who hides behind children and women in order to get what he wants. I have no intention of helping him and all the intention of helping us. But right now, we have nothing here, and need to bide our time so when we do escape it is for good."

Al let his brother's words fall into silence. Edward was right of course. They knew far to little to make a permanent escape. They were trapped in an alien world with few friends and no way to fight the forces Kaiser had at his disposal.

But if Edward and he could find a way to make Alchemy work here, the odds would change. "I suppose you want to find out what Herr Kaiser is really after, Brother?"

"And stop him." Edward weakly smiled, and brushed a lock of golden hair from his brow. "If he has knowledge like the Thule Society, he is a dangerous man, Al. Very dangerous."

Like always, Edward was playing a treacherous game and trying to be the hero. Alphonse nodded. He was very proud of Edward, even if he didn't agree with his methods. "Than I won't question your decision, Brother."

Edward offered a grateful smile, and came to his feet. He wrapped his arms about himself and stiffly made his way across the room, to the window. "Its means a lot, Al, really."

They were in a large bedroom with a high vaulted ceiling and a red velvet canopy bed. The walls were stone and on them hung hand woven tapestries of castles and royal hunts. The only two windows at the end of the room were barred and covered with heavy red and gold velvet curtains. It was it was furnished with a settee couch (though Al was not an expert he thought it was perhaps 100 years old) and matching cushioned chairs. There was a coffee table in front of the chairs, and five ceiling high large bookshelves against the far wall behind the couch and chairs. A fireplace was opposite to the shelves and near the corner stood a fine desk with a single chair and small bookcases next to it. The bed was adjacent with two dressers on both sides. A nightstand sat close to the bed itself.

Ed had placed a warm bowl of water with Epson salts on the stand; to soak Al's bruised face.

It was home, work area and their gilded cage at the same time.

Edward nudged the heavy curtains away from the window, letting the orange red glow of the sun stream in. "Sun is setting, and we're looking over a cliff. No climbing out this window unless we're interesting in falling a long time." Edward cocked his head, hair matting his face and slipping into his eyes. "Heh, we've had our share of climbing out of windows eh, Al?"

"Yes brother." Alphonse dipped his rag in the warm Epson salts bath and dabbed his cheek. "I guess they suspect that. Any idea where we are?"

Edward shrugged. "I suspect the Black Forest Mountain Range, but I haven't lived here long enough to know the geography. Its one of the things we have to learn about, if we're to escape to France, and eventually to London."

Alphonse came to his feet and crossed the room to his brother's side. Together they looked out at the misty snow covered cliffs below and the tall trees growing against its seer face. There was forest as far as they eye could see and misty purple mountains beyond that. It was breath taking.

"Noa would know." Edward added. Worry darkened his golden gaze and he shifted his stance uncomfortably. "Al, you saw her?"

His voice softened into a tone Al had not heard coming from his brother before. It was gentle, yet filled with a mixture of fondness and hurt. "Yes. She tricked me." Al heaved a breath. He disliked the truth, and knew his brother would be angry. "I'm sorry Brother, but I think she is working for them."

Edward shook his head. "No, not Noa. She hates men like Kaiser. She must have been captured and forced to trick you."

The younger Elric squinted his eyes, feeling the pull of his swelling skin. It surprised him Edward did not jump to any conclusions. He must have liked Noa more than he wanted to admit. "Yes, I was under the impression she didn't want to be involved. You like her, don't you?"

Edward paled and dropped a hand to his artificial arm. Turning away he sighed. "She's suffered enough, that's all, Al." Stiffly, the elder boy crossed the room to the couch and seated himself. He leaned with his elbows on his knees, thinking. "She's got psychic abilities," he began. "They're probably making her use them. How, I don't know, what I do know is whatever it is, its something that is important to her."

Edward avoided his feelings for the woman like an expert; Al shook his head, and decided to let it drop. When and if Edward was ready to discuss the matter, he would do so in his own time. "I remember her mentioning it. If we see her, I'm sure we can discuss it with her." He recalled how the woman spoke to him about why the Thule Society was interested in her. He leaned into the brick wall and studied his brother thoughtfully. " So, what's the plan?"

"Learn what we can. I want you to look into the layout of the place and the grounds, and find out exactly where we are and how to leave the country." He sighed, weary and put a hand to his head. "I'll do what I can researching, I have a few ideas. Another gate isn't impossible Al; it's just the cost of using it. We might have to bite the bullet and use it in order to prevent it from being used, then send ourselves through it. Hopefully we'll find our way home. Being here is a mistake." Edward leaned back and kicked his feet on the table.

"What would we use for Equivalent Exchange?" Al asked, aware of the answer before Edward gave it.

"Mr. Kaiser" Edward closed his eyes and bowed his head. "He knows too much, I'm sorry Al."

He felt cold inside. Alphonse Elric hugged himself and joined Edward on the couch. The boy pressed into his big brother's body, and laid his head on his shoulder. It seemed they were doomed to commit sins wherever they went. When would it stop? "Brother, I understand, and you are right, we have to return home. I just don't know how. There is no telling where whatever gateway we find leads."

He heavily sighed, and meet his brother's gaze. Ed appeared paler than usual and heavily burdened. "If there was only a way to find a portal that lead to an energy source that had no cost. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Edward sadly smiled. "Yes, Al, it would be. But it can't exist; the laws of Equivalent Exchange make it impossible. Energy comes from someplace, Al. Anyways; I'm too tired to think about it. Just promise me you'll keep an eye open and learn what you can."

Alphonse nodded aware his brother was trying to spare his soul by not dragging him into the alchemy lab. Yet, as far as Alphonse was concerned, his brother was stuck with him in and outside of the lab. "Yes brother, you can count on me. We are in this together, like before."

Patting his brother on the shoulder, Edward came to a stand and pressed his hands into the small of his back. He stretched. He seemed slower than normal and pain reflected in his face as he shuffled across the room. He must have been injured when they captured him. "Well, we have enough books to start with, I can't go through them alone, it would take forever." He paused, looking over his shoulder with a sly smile. "I know better then to keep you out of this, Al, but when it comes to the actually performing of the rituals, its my soul on line, not yours. No mistakes like before. OK?"

Alphonse couldn't make any promises. What was Edward thinking? He knew how Al thought. Al dabbed his cheek and studied his elder brother. Edward was looking for peace of mind. "No mistakes, but you can't do this alone. I'm a very powerful Alchemist myself, Edward. Please trust me." He fixed his brother with a firm gaze, than stood. He placed his hands on his hips. "Our travels together and my time with Izumi have taught me a great deal, Brother. You can't do this alone."

Puffing air out so it rustled his bangs, Edward Elric nodded. "Yeah, I thought as much." He waved a hand, "You're hopeless, Al." He said. "But I'm proud of you, have I ever told you that? Hum?"

He didn't need to say it, but Al liked hearing it nonetheless. He was proud of Edward too, they both grew a great deal over the last several years. Even if Edward hadn't, in height…

&&&&&&


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 4

The Science and Psychical Research 

A week passed and Alphonse found life at the Kaiser estate wasn't uncomfortable. In the mornings they were given breakfast in their room and than taken to the vast estate library across the hall. Guards were always close by, moving them about directly from point to point, so they never learned where the estate exits were, or what the layout of the building they were in was. Alphonse did realize was they were being held on one floor, where there was a kitchen, a small dinning hall, a spare bedroom, a bathroom, and a library. Other doors were sealed off, and since he never had the chance to explore, Alphonse wasn't sure what was in them. One thing he guessed was there had to be a stairwell or lift behind one.

It was frustrating. He knew there was a way out; but when he asked to go out into the courtyard, they blindfolded him and took him down what seemed to be a maze of corridors and stairwells so he'd be disoriented by the time they reached the outdoors. As a result, he had no idea whether they were held in an isolated annex of the building or part of the main castle. All he did know was their room's wall was curved and likely part of a tower.

They had a staff that waited on their needs, and got almost anything they asked for. They were forbidden to have a radio. Edward was able to obtain newsreels and silent films.

Despite their requests, Kaiser had not produced Noa, and Edward was growing restless. As a result, he drove himself into his work. Alphonse recognized guilt and frustration building in his brother, which worried him.

"I wonder if I can get a kitten?" Al sighed, staring down at the pages of the book he had been scanning. They sat in the library with its ceiling high shelves and rows of bookcases.

It was an enormous room with curved walls and a tall ladder that rolled from shelf to shelf. In the center of the room was a table and rows of shorter bookshelves stacked with books ranging in age and length. A large glass door was at the end of the room and led to a balcony overlooking a vast courtyard and garden.

Suits of armor stood sentry at the room's entrance, and glass cases were built into the walls. In the cases were an assortment of things: ancient weapons, pottery, scrolls, tablets or books, some dating from ancient civilizations like Babylonia, China, Egypt, or Greece while others were of medieval origin. It reminded Al of a museum.

"I've seen a cat around, that big fluffy gray thing." Edward said. "I think one of the servants owns her." He stood on the ladder and poked through several volumes on the 11th shelf. "Besides what would we do with a cat? What would Kaiser do with it? Threaten you with it I suppose… I'd rather be only one of us dancing on his strings." The elder boy pulled out a dusty volume and studied it. "It wouldn't be fair to the animal, Al. We couldn't take it with us when we escaped."

Ed was right, they were not in the position to own pets, and even though Al had always wanted one, he was unable to get one. Yet as it seemed, they'd be with the Kaiser for a good many years before they found any way to escape. And the animal could be useful if trained. The boy sighed, looking down at the text before him. He was being ridiculous, though. It was very impractical to own a pet, and Al knew it.

"Brother…" Alphonse glanced down at the book he had been studying. It was a text concerning Alchemy in Ancient Mesopotamia. Unfortunately, for the most part, the book was filled with information on an assortment of Babylonian Gods and various myths. Alchemy, so it seemed in the ancient world was closely related to magic and religion. The boy looked around the room, sighing. Many of the books in the library were connected with mythology and not very scientific at all. Closing his eyes, Al fingered the pages of the book. "Mr. Kaiser certainly has many archaeological texts and a great deal of information on Anthropology. Apparently Alchemy was very prevalent in the ancient world." He closed the book, a pang of disappointment on his face. "Unfortunately it's all related with ancient religion and dogmatism. I don't know where to start. The very nature of Alchemy here is foreign

to me."

Looping his elbow around a rung, Ed studied the book in hand. It was a dusty, and Alphonse was unable to make out the cover. "Yes well, electroplating will not help us find a gateway. " He said rather nonchalantly. He offered a wicked smile and placed the book back into its slot. "Science is very important to me, Al, but we have to face it, the very metaphysical forces behind Alchemy make it magic here, and looking in journals and text about the scientific properties of this world will not help us find any secrets." He gave the shelf a gentle push and the ladder rolled along its track until he stopped it at another bookcase further down. "So what scientific understanding do they have of "mystical" forces?" He asked aloud. "People call things they don't understand magic, right? Obviously the people here see things like Alchemy and Psychic phenomena as magic. After the Thule situation, men like you and I know it is possible using the right metaphysical, err dimensional properties…" He rubbed his chin contemplating. "I'm really not sure how to classify the gate of Alchemy or other gateways like it, what I do know it's a passage to another place and time."

Edward was thinking out loud. Alphonse watched him fondly, amazed how he was already breaking the world down around him and making hypotheses and creating theories. But then again, Edward lived in this world for more than two years, so he had a basic understanding of it. "So where do we start? What scientists seriously research psychic, and dimensional forces?"

"Ahhh yes, many, but only a handful understand what they are really doing." Edward said, reaching for a rung and climbing up the ladder. "Father once mentioned the Thule society followed the research of men like Sir Oliver Joseph Lodge, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Professor James H. Hyslop as well research into non-Euclidean and hyperspace geometries…"

Alphonse straightened himself. He was confused. Lodge was famous for his work with radios and electromagnetism, Doyle wrote mysteries and Hyslop was a professor of Logic and Ethics. "Electromagnetism, radio waves, Sherlock Holmes, and Mathematics? Brother, these people, some who are not even scientists, have nothing to do with Alchemy."

"Lodge was the president of the Society for Psychical Research. He does a great deal of work in telepathy and communicating with the other side." He paused, finger tipping a book from its slot. "I have to admit Doyle's a bit off the deep end with the faeries, but he does have some valid ideas concerning spiritualism. And I think Hyslop's theories on possession are very intriguing. Of course we know what happens to souls here, but what we don't understand is the workings of telepathy and whether there are metaphysical forces behind it. Men like Lodge, Doyle Hyslop and Flammarion are the foremost men of science involved in that kind of research."

"Flammarion?" Alphonse lifted a brow; he wasn't familiar with the name. The other names he had seen on some of the bookbindings in the library.

"He suggested the source of psychic powers, telepathy or the existence of ghosts were influenced by the existence of Psychic matter. " Ed studied the book he had and reached down to Alphonse. "Here, we might find something here. It's a collection of research articles from the American Society for Psychical Research."

Shaking his head, Alphonse stood and made his way to the foot of the ladder. "And Alchemy?" It appeared that his brother had finally lost his mind. "If we are interested in finding out how the natural laws of this world work, shouldn't we be studying Einstein and Quantum Physics and applying them to manipulating sub atomic particles? Einstein did win the Nobel prize."

Edward cocked his head to the side and gave a half smile. "Our job is to understand how the metaphysical works in this world before we can understand how to harness the powers of Alchemy, Al. Trust me, we are not abandoning our science." He began to pile books from the shelves above into Al's arms. "I know you've been reading a great deal about Einstein and admire him, and he is a brilliant man, but he's no Alchemist. I am afraid the physicists in this world are unable to look beyond the physical world; they cling to what they know and see. And as we both know, Alchemy is more than that. "

The books were stacked up to his nose. With a helpless shrug, Alphonse shook his head. He barely understood the world of science, or how it worked, just that it appeared to be limited. But if Edward's theory was right, and they did have proof it was a possibility, the world of science was just as capable of opening up to metaphysical forces.

Edward dropped a book on the stack that forced Alphonse to tip his head to see over the stack. "I think that will be enough brother." He said softly and carried the pile to the table. "Now, what is the theory we are working on?"

"Good question, Al." Edward's hand went to curl around a rung over head, and missed it. His gaze clouded and he wavered for a moment, as if he were about to lose his balance, than with what appeared to be an effort, he grabbed the rung over head, and pulled himself up so his arm was looped around the ladder. With his freed hand he rubbed his eyes.

Dropping the books, Al raced to the ladder, horror slamming his heart against his chest. "Brother? Brother, are you all right?"

Edward was pale and didn't respond right away. Breathless he blinked, focusing to Alphonse, features struggling to appear unaffected by the spell. "Just tired." He managed. He climbed down to the floor and refused Alphonse's help. Stubborn, he grabbed a chair and sat heavily down. "I haven't been sleeping well, lately."

Al went to respond, when the door to the library opened. Kaiser, followed by Noa and a man Al did not recognize, entered.

Standing, Edward's face masked the strain with annoyance, but it quickly faded to relief when Noa's gaze met his.

Alphonse lifted a brow, aware his brother was hiding his feelings for the girl. He suspected there was something unspoken between the two of them, but now he was sure. Edward was fond of Noa, and that was why he returned to the world of Machines rather stay with Winry in the world of Alchemy.

Noa didn't appear to be harmed, Her long dark hair was pinned up under a small flowered hat and sprayed so ebony curls ringed her face and dripped down her neck. She wore a very fine deep red silk dress and an expensive string of pearls around her neck. The dress was modern, with a long waist and pleated skirt, like the flappers Al had seen in magazine pictures on the street. It was daring, far more daring than he'd imagine the gypsy girl wearing.

Noa cried out. "EDWARD!" Weeping, she bolted across the room into Edward's arms.

Edward's eyes flared, then softened as he wrapped his arms around the girl. "I'm all right, Noa, so is Al." The older boy, held the girl at arms length and studied her. "He didn't hurt you did he?"

Trembling, Noa shook her head. Teary eyes looked across to Alphonse. "I'm sorry…" She whispered. "Please forgive me. I had no choice."

Touching his cheek, Al sighed. "They just roughed me up a little, I'm ok."

Across the room, Kaiser's face was smug. "Good morning, gentlemen! I see you are hard at work."

Edward snorted. He edged the woman behind him and fixed Kaiser with a steely glare. "I have nothing for you yet."

Looking around, Kaiser folded his hands behind him and started to walk. "Now, now, Herr Elric, didn't I say, you must submit a weakly report of your findings?" He paused, pulling out his pocket watch, and checked the time. "It has been one week and 12 hours. You have missed your deadline…"

Alphonse felt a chill. The newcomer was studying him. The gentleman was a tall man, with dark hair and sharp blue eyes, wearing a pair of dark brown slacks, matching vest and a white shirt. On his hip was a gun. He was dressed similarly to most of the guards on the estate, but looked less thuggish. Yet, those eyes were hard, and Alphonse recognized them as ones of a killer.

Kaiser motioned to him and he crossed over to Alphonse with quick deliberate strides. His hand dropped on the boy's shoulder, forcing him to remain seated. "I would like to introduce you to your new handler." Kaiser said. "Herr Jack Harkness."

Alphonse craned his neck so he could see the gentlemen in question and was surprised to see him smiling kindly, down at him. "I wish I could say it is a pleasure, Mr. Harkness, but I am well aware you are here to rough me up…" More likely, Harkness was there as a spy, someone who'd try to gain their trust and make sure whatever information they gained was sent to Kaiser.

"Handler?" Edward hissed. "What the hell do you mean by handler? I'm followed 24 hours a day by your thugs, why the hell do I need another? I'm doing your lousy research for god's sake!" He slapped his hand down on tot he table, rage barely contained in his voice.

"Yes, yes, I see you are." Kaiser circled the table, gaze falling to the notebooks sitting next to the sea of texts. He picked one up, studying the pages, then nodded at Alphonse. "You're writing, young Elric? I had no idea you were an Alchemist." He appeared surprised, and very pleased with the discovery. "Keep up the good work, boy, and I shall hire you some tutors to help you fill in those gaps you have in your education. There is a great deal you need to learn about the world, if your mind is to be harnessed properly."

Alphonse didn't know if he should be flattered or frightened. Obviously Kaiser had uses for him and didn't just want to break him in order to control his brother. Before the boy could answer, Kaiser turned to face Edward. "Herr Harkness is here to keep you in place, but he is also here to make sure you stay alive. You have angered many people, Herr Elric, and I understand there is a price on your head. Spies from the Thule Society and former Nazi party are looking for you and your brother. An inconvenience, to me, for I need you alive." He shook his head and placed Alphonse's notebook in front of the boy and strolled up to Edward. He towered over the elder boy, but Edward stood his ground. "I will let your mistake pass, this time. You are adjusting to your new situation, but I am a man of efficiency, and control. I want my report, promptly on schedule, or else.'

"Threats will not make me work any faster." Edward gritted his teeth. He strayed a look to Al, who gave him a calm smile. They needed to keep their scruples and Alphonse sensed his brother was starting to lose his. "But I get your point. You will have the report by this evening."

"Good." Kaiser bowed his head, than turned. Harkness followed him, taking a position at the door. "I will leave the group of you to get to know one another, but I strongly suggest you make it short." He said coldly. "Or young Alphonse will be writing with his left hand tomorrow."

&&&&&&

Edward Elric

The bastard, the words kept circling in his mind over and over, as Edward Elric fixed his attention on Kaiser's back as he exited the room. One well-placed blow to the back of the man's head would do him in, they'd be free…

In the end, Edward Elric wasn't a cold-blooded murderer. He shook his head, face turning toward Alphonse, who sat quietly at the table, hands on his notebook, and Kaiser's new spy looking on. Without a layout of the castle they'd never find a safe route out.

He had no alchemical powers to fight. The automail would only be an advantage to a point, and there was no way he could get Al out alive. So once more he was someone's lap dog.

The door clattered closed, leaving the four of them alone.

Silence followed. In the distance, Edward heard the whistle of the wind.

"It's starting to snow." Alphonse closed his notebook and placed his hands neatly over its brown leather cover. "I understand the winters in Bavaria are beautiful."

Al was trying to break the mood, and succeeding. Edward felt the tension in the room fading and his own fury settling. He glanced at Noa, a mixture of feelings flooding him. She had betrayed him and was responsible for Al's injuries, yet try as he might, he couldn't muster much anger for her. She seldom did anything maliciously. "You owe Al and I an explanation!" He said, gruffly, and turned his attention to Mr. Harkness. The man leaned himself against the doorframe, watching the three of them as if they were the first act of a performance. "And you mind your own business! I don't need a body guard, I never have and as far as I'm concerned you're just here to spy on my work!"

Harkness lifted a curious brow. "You're very quick to judge, Herr Elric. I have done nothing yet, save keep a close eye on you."

"Working for him is enough!" Edward retorted, he looked at Al for support but the boy was now standing by the glass doors, watching the snowdrift down from the sky. "Al?"

The boy peered over his shoulder, attention fixed firmly on Edward and Noa. "You two need privacy," he said. "That means both Mr. Harkness and I must give you it."

Across the room, Harkness lifted a brow, and focused his gaze to the stacks in the center of the room. Edward couldn't figure the man out. At first he took him to be a thug, but he moved too carefully to be one. He also seemed to be going out of his way to just watch and not to interfere with them. Yes, he was now sure the man was a spy. He was there to make sure Edward handed over all of his work and hid nothing from Kaiser.

"I'm so sorry Edward." Noa's voice drew his attention back. She brought her hands together, tears filling her eyes. "They caught up with me…."

Edward frowned, and pulled out a chair so she could sit. "Is it true, you tricked Al?"

She heaved a breath, and wiped tears from her eyes. "Yes, I led them to both of you." She shook her head, lips trembling. Unable to meet his gaze, Noa rubbed her arms, and inhaled a deep sob.

It was hard to keep calm. He felt betrayed. Yes, Noa had betrayed him once before, but she was desperate. The Nazis were destroying her world so she wanted nothing but to escape. How could he blame her? Yet this time it was different. He and Al were going to take her away from Germany and the hatred. She had no reason to betray him. Edward swallowed his growing anger and paced his breaths. In the past, Edward Elric made a career of losing his temper and being harsh to others. It was often said he failed to play well with anyone, save for Al, and

Winry. Al's gentle nature made it easy for them to get along and Winry would simply clock him over the head with a wrench if he got out of line.

Edward folded his arms, "Why?"

"I returned to the Caravan. They were either dead, or missing, Edward, and he was there, Kaiser."

"He killed them?" Edward asked barely able to hide his contempt of Kaiser.

"He told me Nazi sympathizers did it, and that they were hunting you down. He said if I helped him, he'd protect you and Alphonse. I had no idea it would be like this, Edward…" Noa's trembling fingers touched Edward's.

She thought she was helping them. His face softened as relief filled him. Without thinking, he closed his fingers about hers. "No. I understand your reasons, but we can take care of a few Nazis. You know that."

She shook her head. Worry wrinkled her brow and she folded his fingers into hers. "You're not well, Edward. I've had dreams…"

Numb, Edward made sure Al wasn't listening. The boy stood on the balcony, staring at the sky, catching snowflakes in his hands: well out of earshot. Edward hadn't been feeling well of late, tired and weak. The fainting spell he had earlier was not the first. However, his symptoms could easily be explained by the stress of not sleeping.

"You're a prophet now, as well as a mind reader, Noa?" He gently asked. "I don't doubt your abilities, but in light of the last battle I was in against the Thule, I have every reason to believe I am as strong as a horse. My malady is nothing that a little sleep can't cure."

The woman sighed, but the fear failed to leave her pretty face. "When I read your dreams… I saw your mother. She died of a illness that took many years to kill her."

"She died of a broken heart." Edward snapped. He didn't want to discuss his mother and it made him feel awkward when Noa brought up his past. The woman knew more about his life and thoughts than he was comfortable with. Edward pulled his hands away, and turned toward the bookshelves. "If you don't have anything useful to contribute, Noa, I suggest you leave. I have a report to write."

Sadly, Noa blinked away her tears. She shook her head, coming to her feet. Desperation filled her features. "Edward, why can't you listen? Why must you hide from the truth? I've seen it! I feel it inside of you, your body is slowing breaking down, and if you don't do something about it, you will die, the same way your mother did!"

She was convinced, and there was nothing he could do to change her mind. Edward glanced down unable to come up with an appropriate argument. Here he was in the middle of research that required Noa's very skills, yet he had to deny her very powers of prediction. Why? He had no proof or reason to believe they worked, unlike her ability to read minds. Moreover, if her dreams about his future were true, what she was telling him was unfathomable. How could he, Edward Elric, the most powerful Alchemist in the State Military simply die of a wasting disease? A disease, he could undoubtedly treat at home with Alchemy, but not here. It would mean his very sacrifice to remain in Germany would destroy him and he had doomed his brother to a life of uncertainty and loneliness on an alien world.

No, by that very fact, he knew he could not be ill, not the way his mother was, that was that. He'd never leave Al alone in this world, not ever. Edward snatched his notebook from the table. His mood was rapidly becoming foul and to remain in the room with Noa would just get him angrier. "I'm not hiding from anything." He said firmly. "I'm trying to save my brother, if you can't tell, Noa. Remember how you were sold to the Nazis? Well, like it or not, Al and I are now in the same position you were put in. The one I rescued you from. Now, if you will excuse me…" Without a second glance, he marched to the door, "Open the damn door and let me go back to my room."

Harkness's features were thoughtful as he unlocked the bolt. "Are you sure you want to leave the lady like that, Herr Elric?" He asked gesturing to Noa. She was collapsed over the table sobbing. Alphonse stood at her side, gently stroking her back and apologizing for Edward's insensitivity, no doubt: Good old Al, Edward thought. Always trying to smooth out the wrinkles he left behind. Edward swallowed the lump in his throat.

"It seems to me she blames herself for all of this…" Harkness replied.

"The path to hell is paved with good intentions." Edward retorted. He edged by the man and pushed his way though the door. Behind him he heard Harkness bark out a few orders to the guards watching the door and set out behind him. Exasperated, Edward turned and threw his hands up in the air." Follow me if that is what you have to do, Harkness, but keep the hell away from me! I don't need anyone's advice, especially from someone who's working for the very bastard whose holding the key to my prison. To hell with you! Do you understand? This is my bloody life and I've got work to do!"

Harkness shrugged helplessly. "Sure, I'm one to let a man dig his own grave kid, go ahead. I'm just doing my job and trying to make it as pleasant as possible. I'm no marriage counselor, so do what you want."

Who the hell did he think he was? Edward glared at Harkness, realizing the security guard looked at him the way an adult looked at a spoilt child. Marriage counselor, the thought was idiotic. He'd tell him so, too, when he found the time. Edward gritted his teeth, and continued his march down the hall. The day was quickly on a downward spiral, and at that moment, Edward Elric didn't care, as long as he got his report finished and Al was safe.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 5

Anger Management

It took Edward three hours to finish compiling his notes for Kaiser and writing them out as a report. He never planed on keeping Kaiser fully appraised of his research, but it was early enough for Edward to give him enough information to give the German Duke a convincing idea of what direction Edward was going to take for his work. Hopefully it would be enough to keep Al from being injured.

Unfortunately, Harkness did not give him the privacy he wanted to work in. Rather, the security guard took up stations at his door and watched wordlessly.

The man was too far to actually see what Edward was writing, yet he was close enough to see where Edward kept his notes. He came to the decision to keep his notebook on him full time: just in case Harkness planned to compare notes for Kaiser. Once finished, Edward shoved his notebook into his deep green suit jacket inside pocket, and stalked up to Harkness.

The man was a good head and a half taller than Edward. So Edward was forced to look up to address him. He waved his report's folder up into the man's face, just to get his attention. Lifting a brow, Harkness looked down at the rolled up parchment, puzzled. "Here." Edward announced, annoyed Harkness was looking at him like some small annoyance peeking at his heals. "Don't you want these to take them to your boss?" Edward waved the folders in the security guards face as if trying to emphasize a point. If Harkness was spy, he'd certainly want to get his hands on Edward's research. "It's my report, Damn it!"

Harkness shook his head, a smile crossing his face as he took the folder. "You really need to work on that anger management thing, Ed."

"Anger management?" Edward blinked. "I'm perfectly capable of managing my anger." He waved an annoyed hand and walked toward his nightstand. "Now, get that to Kaiser before he gets impatient and breaks my brother's arm."

Harkness shoved the folder under his arm, sympathy reflecting his sharp blue eyes. "Than again, I guess I can't blame you for being up tight. You really care for him, don't you?"

Edward took a glass and pitcher from the stand and poured himself some water. The question surprised him. "He's my little brother, and we've been close all our lives." He clenched his teeth, dropping his gaze to the floor. "What kind of big brother am I if I can't protect him?"

Jack Harkness shrugged. "A human one."

Human, Edward Elric lowed his glass onto the table and lifted his hand to his face. The rattle of his automail fingers chilled him. Over the years he had gown to identify himself with the prosthetics, it helped him to deal with the inhuman things he did as an alchemist. Tightening his hand into a fist, Edward sat heavily on the bed. "Human. I suppose. Al is far more human than I am. Yet I keep doing things that make his life difficult." He drained his glass and lowered it to the table with a clank. Edward collapsed back against the bed. Behind him the springs squealed from his weight.

He heard the door open. "It seems to me, your brother has no problem of letting things go and trusting people. Especially his friends and family. Might be a good thing to learn, Ed. You can't do it all, you know."

It was the last thing Edward thought would come from Harkness. How could he expect Edward to trust, when all his life people went out of their way to betray him. The alchemist rolled on to his side and watched the older man step out the door and talk to the guard standing there. "Easy for you to say, you're not a prisoner here."

Looking over his shoulder, Harkness shrugged. "What can I say? I'm sorry your life sucks; make the best of it, for Al's and Noa's sake. And, stop being a fucking martyr."

"What do you mean a fucking martyr?" Ed abruptly came to his feet, fists clenched.

Harkness didn't give an answer. Finished, he closed the door, leaving Ed to himself.

He wasn't being a martyr. He was just doing his best to take care of his younger brother. What in gods name did that bastard mean? Edward stared at the door, face twitching. Perhaps Harkness was referring to the argument Edward had with Noa earlier. Edward did disregard her words about her dream. Or perhaps it was a reference to the fact that he blamed himself for their situation. In truth, he really couldn't blame Noa for their imprisonment. In fact, inside he knew who was really responsible for it.

He was.

He made the choice to stay in Munich. He let Noa walk into danger. He wasn't strong enough to fight Kaiser.

It was all EDWARD's fault.

"Hey, why the hell does he care?" He said to no one. He heaved a breath, and listened to the silence that followed. Jack Harkness was more than a guard. He seemed to focus far to much on treating Ed like a person. None of the other guards even spoke to them. So why was Jack different? What advantage did he have if he befriended the Elric brothers?

Interesting question.

There was a rattle, and a clank.

"Brother…" Alphonse threw open the double doors, and leaned in slender arms holding the doors open without entering. His face was a mixture of worry and anger. "They would not let us in…is it true, you gave the order?"

Reluctantly, Edward sat up, and lowered his feet to the floor. A wash of blackness closed in on the edges of his vision, than faded. Edward rubbed his human hand down his face to his chin. He sat motionless for a long moment, until it passed. Carefully, he came to a stand. "I needed to finish Al, it was for the best."

"You mean it wasn't because you didn't want to talk with Noa or I?" Alphonse closed one door gently and pressed his back into the other long enough to let Noa walk in.

By the expression on his face, Edward knew Al wasn't pleased He watched his brother close the door and roll up his white shirt selves. His young face was cross as he stalked over to face Edward. They were the same height, and despite the four-year age difference, Al looked driven and ready for a fight. Alphonse cracked his knuckles. "Brother, I understand you are angry at Noa, but you were extremely rude to her today. In our position, we really can't afford to fight with each other. You owe her an apology."

"An apology eh? So I gather she told you what we discussed?" Edward asked evenly. He saw Noa watching them a few feet away. Her wide eyes moist and her cheeks were streak with black makeup. She must have only stopped crying a little while ago.

Al shook his head. "We only discussed why she was working with Kaiser, anything else was between you and her."

"Than you can forgive her for putting you in this position?" Edward asked, knowing the answer. Al never held a grudge for very long. He understood people more than Edward.

"Brother, Mr. Kaiser would have found and captured us, without Noa's help."

"You didn't answer the question."

Alphonse shoved his hands into the pockets of his brown trousers and kicked the floor with the tip of his foot. "There is nothing to forgive, brother. But if you insist on making the situation black and white, yes, I forgive her."

Good old Al, Edward could always rely on him to be predictable. All for the better, he didn't have time to harp on bruised feelings.

" Than it is over with." Edward turned away, and fished his notes form his pocket. "I don't want to discuss it anymore, Al. It's a waist of time." He turned to Noa. "I am sorry, I was wrong to get angry, Noa." Apologizing was never easy for Edward, but he knew had had taken out his frustration on the woman unfairly. He should never let his fears drive him into avoiding a possible truth. " But only scientific study will determine if you have precognitive and clairvoyant gifts. Since my work here is researching them, I need your help. We have to test, measure and correlate information on your powers and set up conditions that will help duplicate the results and prove they exist. I have no interest in antidotal crap."

Noa slumped her shoulders, and looked up though sculpted ebony bangs. She was stunning, and Edward found himself moved by her poignant beauty. How could he be so hard on her? She never meant to harm anyone. He was a bloody fool not to be gentler to her, but he was never good with talking to others because he favored the straight-forward bull in a china shop tactics over stepping on eggshells. He fixed Noa with a stare and consciously tried to word himself so he sounded less insensitive. "Are you willing to help me?'

Noa weakly nodded her head. "If that will convince you, yes."

A chill swept him. If he did prove Noa's abilities were real, he was dying. Edward Elric swallowed and forced his fears away. He would have to look at the situation clinically and only consider the unthinkable when he could do something about it.

"Than perhaps we can use Noa's abilities to find a gateway with properties similar to the gate of Alchemy." Alphonse ventured.

Ed paused handed Al his notebook. "I have no doubt we will." He said. "Its just were and how…"

"And what is the cost?"

"We'll cross that path when we get to it."

The two bothers exchanged looks. It almost felt like old times. Edward led the woman over to the couch and seated her. He then gathered the papers scattered on the end table up and stacked them into a folder.

Alphonse opened Edward's notebook and scanned it.

"Brother, are you still going on the theory that telepathy is using a form of metaphysical energy to produce a bioelectric wave?"

"Its my working hypothesis." Edward studied the papers. Most of the papers were on Non-Euclidean geometry and quantum physics. Edward planned calculating how one could mathematically contact metaphysical space. Yet he needed more information. "Using Non-Euclidean maths we can try to find a weakness in the barrier to the fourth dimension. If we can access a rift to the time and space continuum we will get ample power to perform transmutation on a subatomic level." Edward studied the faces before him and realized Alphonse hadn't studied enough to fully comprehend the connection between Noa and the maths. He took a breath unable to conceal his pride. " I suspect if Noa has precognitive abilities, she is getting her visions though a connection with the fourth dimension." Edward explained. "We need to prove it, and calculate where there is a rift or weakness in our third dimensional space."

Alphonse's gaze brightened as understanding crossed his young face. "Bother, that's brilliant! And we can use Einstein's work too!"

It was nice to see Alphonse excited over something. Edward half smiled. He couldn't help himself; the research excited him too. To think, if he was correct, he and Alphonse would be wielding Alchemy once more and none would ever be able to control them again. He turned on his heal, and walked over to his desk. "Noa, if you don't mind, I'd like for you to research mystical places. Most of it will be bunk of course, but if any of them strike a cord with you, let me know, it would be nice to find a power source with as little work as possible."

The woman sighed. She leaned her elbows on her knees and pressed her face in her hands. "Very well Edward. And once we find this source, how will we activate it?"

"Electromagnetics using Lodges and Tesla's research." Edward explained. "Though I need to know more about it. Any thoughts Al?"

Alphonse held the notebook in one hand and scanned a page. He tapped it with a triumphant grin. "Radio waves might be useful, but I don't think it is on par with metaphysical energies. The Earth emits electromagnetic energy and living beings are thought to have electric fields. So, it might affect the properties of the soul as well as Flammeron's "psychic matter. Brother,"

"Hmm?" Edward sat heavily in his desk chair.

"I think it's actually possible." Alphonse had hope in his voice. "We might even find a way home."

Home, yes, it would be nice to go back, and Edward wanted too, but returning to Rizenbool was unlikely. Seeing his younger brother's face light up with hope made Edward decide to say nothing on the matter. He'd let Alphonse hope. "Alright, we have our assignments, lets get to it!"

"You're beginning to sound like Mustang."

Mustang, if they could get home, Edward fancied, he would look forward to seeing the man's face. Anything was better than Kaiser; at least he knew for the most part, Roy Mustang was on the side of the angels. "Edward wadded up a sheet of plain paper and tossed it at his brother's head. It bounced off and on to the floor. "Knock it off, little brother. Get to work!"

Alphonse giggled and saluted his brother using the notebook. "Yes sir!" Clicking his heals he marched to the door. It reminded Edward of the days he spent in the State Military. It was bittersweet and for a short time, Edward felt like a kid again.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 6

The Science of Escape…

Alphonse

Every morning, Alphonse Elric insisted on going outside. It was cold, and the grounds were white, blanked by snow as far as the eye could see. But he needed the air, and the illusion of freedom.

Jack stood near the entrance, watching him walk around the courtyard, with his hands shoved deep in his frock coat's pockets. The man was leaning against the door jam, carefully scanning the gardens for unseen threats or escape routs. Escape routs Alphonse wanted to discretely find.

The courtyard was vast surrounded by sculpted pine trees and with a heavy stonewall. Fruit trees were clustered in an orchard at the far end, and across from them was a lattice roofed swing surrounded by creeping rose bushes and a grand grapevine. Smaller gardens were tired down from the stonewall, and during the summer, they were home to a variety of flowering plants ranging from colorful mums to exotic blue poppies from the far east. .

Stone pathways wove though the gardens, giving it a medieval flavor and an elegant marble fountain stood in the center with nude statue of Venus pouring water from a jug.

It was pretty, and closed in from the rest of the world. As far as Alphonse noticed, there were no gates and the only entrance to the garden was the door to the castle he just exited. Overhead was a balcony and Alphonse deduced it was to the library.

The garden itself was on the edge of the cliff, near the high tower, where the Elrics now lived.

Kaiser went out of his way to design an effective prison for them and it was annoying.

Heaving a frustrated sigh, Alphonse trudged though two feet of snow, ignoring the chill as it bit into his pant legs and dribbled into the cracks of his shoes. He wasn't dressed for the outdoors, but he never stayed long. Normally, he'd just stroll though the garden, studying the walls around him, praying he'd find something he had missed earlier.

He rubbed his arms recalling the many times he had climbed the wall. It over looked the cliffs below. They could, given time, make spikes and collect rope to scale down the cliff, but it wasn't an immediate option, and he needed to know exactly where he was if they were to escape. Yet he promised Edward he would find out where they were and an escape rout.

In the past he asked his guards, but they never acknowledged him. However, today Jack was with him, and Jack was talkative. Perhaps he could use that to his advantage.

Edward had been particularly sharp with Jack that morning, accusing him of being a spy and calling him a thug. He insisted on keeping Jack at distance from his work, claiming he asked far to many questions and acted too friendly to be trusted.

Alphonse noticed his brother's impatience grow over the last few weeks as he dove deeper in his research. Kaiser gave the young man a large lab with a great deal of chemistry equipment as well as electrical generators and other advanced equipment for running on physics and electromagnetism.

The problem was, as of last week, Edward allocated Jack to sit out side the lab door, forbidding him to enter why they plotted away.

Jack objected furiously, claiming Ed was preventing him from doing his job and Ed refused to budge on the matter. There was, in the end no real way of getting along reasonably with Edward Elric in the irritable state he was in and Alphonse decided to take matters in his own hand, by asking the man to accompany him to the garden.

Alphonse Elric weaved his way around the fruit trees, gazing up at the sky. It was a cloudy gray day with flakes of snow that drifted down and kissed Alphonse's pale face.

He liked the snow, and longed for the days when he played in it innocently with his brother and friend Wynre.

A soft whine made Alphonse pause. It was weak, and echoed pitifully from overhead. Attentively, Alphonse scanned the garden for the source of the sound, and eventually panned his gaze up a nearby apple tree.

It was tangled with thick branches that glimmered with the crystal glint of ice. Soft snow powered the ice softening the reflecting sunlight, and giving it a magical glow.

It was beautiful, and shimmered like the other bare trees surrounding it.

It was easy to spot the small gray form huddling against the trunk three quarters the way up the tree. It was a small gray kitten with large frightened green eyes. It peeped again, little body quaking from cold and fear, wrenching Alphonse's heart.

He recognized the animal as one of the kitchen cat's kittens. When they arrived, he spied her in the corner of their pantry, hiding a littler of five. Yet over the last weeks, the cook had gotten rid of most of the litter and this one was the runt. No one ever wanted the runt and Alphonse suspected it was outside quite deliberately.

Saddened, Alphonse's face creased with a frown and he placed his hands on the trunk. "How did you get up there?"

The animal whined pathetically. "Don't worry, I'll get you. That mean cook is trying to get rid of you, isn't she?" He asked unbuttoning his coat and hanging it over a low hanging branch. He than grasped a branch over head and hauled himself up. He wasn't afraid of heights, and Alphonse was very skilled at climbing.

Out of the corner of his eye, Alphonse spied Jack, who was a shade of pale and jogging though the snow toward him.

By the time he reached the tree, Alphonse shimmed up and was on a slender branch three feet above Jack's head. "Hey, hey! Al, get down here! Do you hear me?"

His shinny leather soles slipped over the icy snow forcing Alphonse to lean into the thick branch at his chest. He smiled down at Jack, "Hello Mr. Harkness. I trust you are enjoying the fresh air?"

Stepping up on a branch beneath Alphonse, Jack reached for the boy. "The fresh air is great, but you're working very hard to make my job difficult! Get the hell down here before you fall!"

Alphonse grasped a branch just over his head, and lifted his knee to a thick limb near his midsection. "There is a kitten, and he looks cold, Mr. Harkness." Alphonse explained innocently. "We can't leave him in this tree."

"He's a cat." Jack said sharply grasping the trunk with his gloved hands. "They can climb down. He'll be fine! You on the other hand can get hurt!"

Shaking his head, Alphonse came to a careful stand and hugged the trunk. The kitten was a several feet out of reach. He just needed to climb a lot higher. "Hmm, I thought your job was to make sure Edward wasn't to get hurt and if needed to break my arm. Look at it as I'm doing you a favor."

"I'm not here to break your arm! God Damn it! You're brother accusing me about it every day is bad enough!" Jack sounded hurt. Shaking his head, he clambered up the trunk behind the boy. He was larger than Al, but strong and it wasn't long before he was well into the tree, a foot or so beneath the determined teenager. "Ok, so I'm guessing you aren't going to listen here. So let's make a deal!"

Painfully aware he could slip, Alphonse scrambled up yet another branch. He paused, looking down at the man a few feet below him. Flakes of snow rained down from the thick branches around him and coated Jack's hair and powered his face. "Deal?"

"Let me do my job, and protect you. You climb down the tree, I'll get the cat and we'll call it even. I don't want to have you break your arm or any other limb on your body."

Shying a glance to the kitten, Alphonse considered Jack's offer. The animal was shaking, and looking really frightened. He sighed, if Jack was willing to help him, it was possible he could make the man a friend and perhaps convince him to help them later. Men like Jack had to take the situation into their own hands. Trying to look nervous, Alphonse hung his head and carefully sat down on the branch. "Ok. Just be very careful, he's shaking."

Jack exhaled in relief and patted Alphonse on the leg. "Don't worry, I'm an expert cat rescuer. Now, lets get you down from here

Shrugging, Alphonse made his way down the tree. He was aware Jack was there, guiding him with a strong arm and supporting his slender frame. It was a piety, really. Alphonse felt a pang of guilt. Sensei taught him very well, and he was quite surefooted, but it was safer to let Jack underestimate him. The longer Jack thought he was a normal kid, the better chances Edward and he had to escape.

Once on the ground, he grabbed his coat and pulled it on. His fingers were cold, and very numb. He barely noticed it earlier, but now, it was hard to use them, so he shoved his hands in his pockets to warm them up.

Above, Jack continued to climb, and in no time was just in reach of the shaking animal. Stepping away, Al shielded his eyes from the flickering light. Jack was very high in the tree, and standing on branches that bowed slightly from his weight.

"You might be too big." Alphonse said, worried the branch would break. "And I don't want you to fall, you could get hurt."

"Nah, don't worry about it, kid. I'm an expert tree climber." Jack scaled up the trunk, and hauled himself over another branch. The kitten was just out of reach.

Alphonse Elric cocked his head. "But you're a grown up, Mr. Harkness and everyone knows grown ups can't climb like kids."

"What?" Jack glared down at the boy, face frowning. "Don't give me that kid superiority crap, Elric!" He reached out, and curled his hand about the scruff of the cat's neck and hauled the creature up. It gave a squeal, little claws fraying fanatically at the air.

Al winced. It was frightened. The twisting animal seized Jack's arm, claws sinking its into the fabric of Jack's coat and climbing up the man's arm as he tried to close it into his jacket.

"I apologize for offending you, Herr Harkness." He eyed the man's feet as they touched the branch. "I just want you to be careful."

Jack smiled and patted the tree. "Trees and I go way back, I'll be fine." No sooner were the words out of his mouth, Jack's foot slipped. He went to grab the slick bark above him for support, but the momentum caused him to crash down and snapped the branches below. He cursed as he tumbled down, body twisting for a desperate grab at the tree limbs around him.

Alphonse braced, readying himself to break the man's fall if necessary with his own body. But before Jack careened into the boy, the man seized one of the thicker limbs and halted his fall. Painfully he reached into his jacket, checking the cowering kitten, and sighed in relief. The kitten's head stuck out of the breast of Jack's coat and looked out with its huge terrified green eyes. It appeared unharmed.

Relief and embarrassment crossed Jack's face as he released the branch and dropped down next to Alphonse. His clothing was rumbled, and twigs with powered snow stuck to his hair. Blood seeped from long scrapes across his brow and cheeks. A twinge of pain wrinkled his brow as he bent over, hand touching his ribs.

Wordless, Alphonse blinked up at him. He wondered if the man would be ashamed if a child showed any concern for his condition. Edward certainly would, but Jack seemed to appreciate the attention. "Are you alright?"

Jack took a deep breath and side glanced him. He reached into his jacket and handed him the kitten. "A little battered, but I'll live. Here's your little friend."

Easing the animal into his coat, Alphonse wrapped an arm around Jack and helped him to the door. The man didn't protest and he has a slight limp. "Well, let me help you." Alphonse said. "It's the least I can do. Next time, you should let me climb the trees. I suspect I've been doing it a little more than you have been of late."

"Give or take a few years… Ok maybe more." Jack replied. They paused inside, and Alphonse took a long look around. He had NEVER seen the room he was in before. It was a large carpeted hall, with a wooden coat rack and plush red carpeting. The walls were stone and windowless. A massive suit of armor stood next to the heavy wooden door.

The hall itself went off in a straight direction, away from the door. Something Alphonse knew did not fit his perceptions when arriving at the garden earlier that day. Blind folded, he managed to keep his direction sense enough to determine he had come to the garden from an angle, rather than a straight line.

"Shit." Jack straightened, hands roughly digging into his coat pocket and removing a black strip of cloth. "Kaiser is going to kill me if he finds out I broke with procedure."

Heaving a breath, Alphonse closed the door behind them. "I won't tell if you don't." Keeping a hand on the kitten, Alphonse unbuttoned his jacket and hung it on the rung of a coat wrack. "Besides, I've never seen any of this, so I have no idea where I am, besides underneath the library." He pointed to the hall. "That passage could lead me anywhere."

Jack smirked and lifted the blindfold to Alphonse's eyes. "You're a smart kid, I suspect you know a little more than what your saying."

Alphonse grinned uneasily. "What ever gave you that idea?"

"Don't know, the level of security around you and your brother, that was sort of a clue." Jack's hand closed about his shoulder and steered the boy to the left of the hall way to what Alphonse knew was a wall.

There was a click and the sound of a door opening. Yes, that was familiar. They must have been traveling along passages hidden in the walls.

Secret passages, Alphonse thought, thrilled by the very idea. When the door slid shut behind him he became aware of a musty stale smell. It made sense to him, he wondered why there was a difference when he first started visiting the garden. Now he knew.

He held the kitten in his arms, and felt its nose nuzzle into his elbow. The animal was soft but wet, its damp fur soaking his thin white shirt. Thoughtfully he caressed the kitten's soft coat aware he could feel its spine and ribs. It was emaciated, and desperate for company, the boy thought. What did the chef think she was doing by not tending to the animal? He let out a shaky breath. He failed to understand the adults around him.

With an effort, he refocused his mind on the passage ahead of him. He could hear the flicker of gaslight lamps, and that told him the passages were used often enough to install pipes in the framework to run gas. It seemed to slope and that had taken three turns. Jack's hand stopped him and his voice said. "Step up, we're to the stairs."

Yes, the stairwell. It wound up like a corkscrew, as if they were going up into a tower. Obediently the boy climbed. His steps were muted as if pressing into stone. The air around him was cool, there was a breeze coming from above.

He suspected there was a window, or an opening above allowing the change in temperature. Maybe they were near another exit out side. What he did know was they'd soon be entering another passage and it too would twist and turn until they entered the main wing of his new home.

Eventually he'd get the hang of it and map out the halls in his mind. Perhaps even get an idea of where else they may go. If only he could escape his guards long enough to explore. Al didn't dare hope. They'd probably break his leg if he attempted and there was no telling how Edward would react then. He'd most likely get angry and get them killed.

Alphonse felt a pang of despair. He hung his head low, and listened to his own feet. How could he hope?

Even with all their research, the only thing they came up with was speculative at most. He hugged the kitten closer and redirected his thoughts. Once more he reminded himself to take things one-step at a time. There was no telling what the future held.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter7

Eureka!

Edward Elric

The numbers before him were blurry. Twitching, Edward Elric pulled the notebook closer to him and cursed. It was no use, his eyesight was inconveniently worse and his head ached, like a drum throbbing in the back of his skull. It was still early and he had only just begun his calculations for the experiment.

Pained, he rubbed his eyes and reached into the breast pocket of his olive-green vest. As much as he hated to admit it, his father was right, he needed the spectacles to read and in time, he'd need them to see at all.

Yet, going blind was the least of his problems. He groaned, dropping his throbbing head in his arms and ran his fingers though his hair. His body ached, and every muscle pleaded him to drag himself back into bed and stay there, but the call of freedom drove him to ignore it and return his attention to his studies. Painfully he lifted his head and

stared at the pages.

The experiment was simple: he set up the conditions to measure and record Noa's psychic abilities. If she duplicated the results in controlled situations, he would prove the existence of psychic powers.

It was the beginning of a much larger and more complicated project. And regrettably, he was aware it was a task that would take years to achieve.

Tapping his notebook, he double checked his measurements and reworked his hypothesis. Everything had to be accurate and so far, his calculations were in order. He just had to go over and calibrate his equipment.

"Edward, you are pale." Noa said. He hadn't noticed her enter the lab. Wearily he looked over his shoulder, surprised to find she stood behind him and he had no idea how long she had been there. "This can wait until tomorrow." She dropped her hand to his forehead and slipped it down to his cheek.

Edward felt his cheeks warm and awkwardness washed over him. "I'm fine," he shrugged off her fingers and closed his notebook. "I'm ready to start."

"You have a fever." Noa ignored him. She stepped away as he came to his feet and turned to face the lab. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Noa fold her arms. "Edward Elric, you have been working non-stop for two weeks. You barely remember when it is time to eat, and Alphonse says you have not been sleeping very long or well."

"I'll rest after the experiment is done." Edward gestured for her to sit, and glanced around the room. It almost reminded him of working for the state military.

The lab was the distillation of a small fortune into the highest experimental technology money could buy. Central to this work was the electroencephelograph, derived from an extension of Hans Berger's designs. This traced the activity of Noa's brain on a constantly-unrolling sheet of graph paper, seven delicate needles with integral pens scribbling wavering lines that opened mysterious windows

into the workings of the mind.

Edward gestured to a chair near the device. The woman looked at him skeptically, then sat in the chair and closed her eyes. "If it is important to you, I promise I will get some rest when this is all done." Edward gently said. He methodically began fastening electrodes in a regular array across her scalp. She had adamantly refused to have her hair cut, and it had taken Edward an additional several days to devise a conductive gel which would work even with considerable hair between the electrode and the scalp.

Noa opened her eyes and gazed around the room. "These machines, they are amazing."

Edward weakly smiled. They had collected quite an assortment of gadgets. Winry would have been envious. To think, he was the Alchemy geek, and in the past had scoffed at machine engineering.

Yet now he was in a room surrounded by machines and ironically he now needed them to make his Alchemy work. What would Winry say?

Huge glass and ceramic insulators alternated with shining coils of copper wire, wound in geometrically precise forms to channel the power of the electron. Tesla coils reared circular heads above conical coils, and at the far end of the room towered a sixteen-foot Van De Graaf generator, capable of generating a seething storm of artificial

lightning, millions of volts of electrical charge. These were part of Edward's attempts to probe the very makeup of matter through atomic forces – accelerating protons and other particles through the symmetrical glass and metal tubing attached to these electrical generators.

Some distance from the accelerator setups were retorts, coiling glass tubes for condensation, distillation, fractionalization of materials. Bunsen burners, compressors, furnaces, crucibles in confusing yet ordered array, the tools both of the chemist and the alchemist of old.

Finished with the electrodes, Edward whipped the sticky stuff off with the hanky in his breast pocket and inspected a humming device to Noa's left. He was rather pleased with it. He had constructed it himself. It used electromagnetic forces to shake a series of numbered metal spheres. The spheres shuddered and banged into each other, rattling

randomly around an enclosure, until by chance one would happen to roll in such a way as to complete a contact between two wires. When that happened, a trapdoor opened for a moment below that ball, which dropped down a chute and rolled out into view in a trough below.

That was the test device. Noa was to predict which number would appear next in the trough. As the shaking and movement of the balls was essentially random, there was no scientific way to predict it, and there were no less than 500 numbered spheres. It was barely possible, though unlikely, that she could randomly guess one of them. Guessing two or more in a row would be strong evidence for her precognition. If she could manage a significant string of correct predictions, and replicate those predictions over time, he would have the hard evidence he wanted.

"Are you ready?" He asked, leaning with his hands curled around the arms of the chair.

She nodded and closed a hand around his. "Yes, I'm ready."

Stepping back, Edward activated the sphere dispenser. "What is your prediction?"

Noa heaved a breath, and shied a glance to the trough. She appeared unsure, even worried. "427"

Was it a guess? Edward straightened. He liberated a notebook from his desk and' flipped it open to an empty page. At the top of the page he recorded the date, the subject's behavior and her prediction.

A clank turned his gaze back to the trough. The sphere rolled to the end and rattled against steel. Edward took it in his hands, and turned it over in his hand. The numbers 427 were printed across its surface.

"284" Noa's voice said. It was detached and her face was staring off into space as if she was in a trance. "398, 21, 156…" her voice became a eerie chant that goosepimpled his flesh and raised the hair on the back of his neck.

Edward froze, gaze shifting to the encephalograph as its pens etched a flurry of lines across seemly endless sheets of paper. Checking his calculations, he confirmed his suspicions. Red and blue lines wove in and out of each other, in an explosion of peaks and valleys.

He seized the paper, studying the data, barely aware of the clunking of spheres. "Hmm, that seems in order." He glanced over to Noa. "Subject appears to be in a trance, and I am seeing noticeable theta and gamma wave activity."

"12, 128,34,404…"

She didn't hear him. Edward crossed over to her side, nose wrinkling as he studied the woman. Her smooth flesh was pale with dots of sweat saturating her bow as her ghostly voice continued to drone out more numbers.

Quickly making note of her condition and responses, Edward regarded the trough. A chill swept him.

All the numbers in the tray matched her predictions. It was true. He was dying…

Edward stared blankly at his notes, lost in thought. All this time he assumed he had time, but things were different now. Suddenly an unseen force was draining his very life away, making it imperative for swift action. If he died, Alphonse would never be free, and for that reason,

Edward Elric made a decision. He would find a way of sending Alphonse home before he died.

He drew a breath, turning his gaze to Noa dimly aware she was speaking to him.

"So we are finished with the experiment?" Noa asked, blinking up at him wearily. She ran her fingers though her hair, wincing as goo clung to her fingers.

Edward shoved his notebook in his suit jacket's pocket and removed his glasses. "Ja, for the day." His headache had grown worse, and he wondered if it was a symptom of whatever ailment he had. He ran a hand though his hair, feeling a sheet of sweat coat his fingers. He had a

fever. "I don't have time to be ill." He told her, weakly smiling.

"Take it easy then, let Alphonse and I help you with your work." Noa pleaded. "Please, Edward."

He couldn't answer her. Edward Elric rarely depended on others to do things for him. He heavily sighed and quietly removed the electrodes from Noa's hair.

How could he be dying? Some disease, but what? It explained the bruising and his exhaustion, as well as the faintness. He felt a pang of fear, mixed with grief. It was not the fate he wanted. "This is the world of science." He said absently. "I can't believe they wouldn't have studied and diagnosed similar conditions."

Noa watched him curiously. Taking a towel from the counter, she came to a stand, and tried to rub the gel out.

"Edward? What do you mean?"

Yes, it made sense. Perhaps there was hope, perhaps he could find a cure. If he properly diagnosed his condition and treat it, he would live. Didn't they say if his mother received help in time she would have lived? Edward felt his heart lift. He didn't need to waist away like his mother, in fact, he wouldn't. He would find a cure, and live for Al….

And Noa.

The woman looked at him with moist brown eyes. She dropped a hand to his shoulder. "The Kaiser knows doctors. He will give you the best care…"

"Never." Edward shrugged her hand off and dashed over to his bookshelves. He ran his fingers along the binds, searching. He had to have a medical journal somewhere. Why wouldn't he, Kaiser supplied all sorts of reference books and understanding the working of the body was

necessary for human transmutation or Alchemical medicine. One book drew his eye. Edward pulled it out, and studied it. It was an anatomical encyclopedia. Frustrated he waved the book in his hand, and dropped it to the table. "Gray's Anatomy, Noa, I need a book, a medical journal. I have to research my symptoms."

"But Edward, you can't treat yourself!" Noa came to her feet and gripped the towel in hand between her fingers. "Edward, I am so sorry…"

"Of course I can treat myself! And what is there to be sorry for? I am dying, but I am not dead yet! This is the world of science, Noa. There must be a cure for my condition…" He paused planting his hands on his hips, and stared at the shelves overhead. Most of the books were on the cutting edge sciences of magnetism, radio waves, and electricity.

Besides the Gray's anatomy, he had a few books on the human brain. He had no medical books in the lab. Anything useful would be in the library or his study. "Shit."

Noa's eyes flared wide. "Edward…" Noa's lips trembled and her dark eyes teared. "Please listen to me…"

Edward shook his head. He raised a hand abruptly and brought it down. "Enough!" There would be no way; he'd allow the Kaiser of any of his quacks near him. "No, where I come from I would be perfectly capable of devising a cure with Alchemy. I will find one here." He turned abruptly and stalked passed Noa. "Wash up! I've got work to do! Meet me in my study, and bring my slides and a medical kit!"

Without waiting for her answer he was out the door.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 8

Trust, Innocents, and Kittens

Jack

The plan appeared to be working. Jack winced, feeling pain lance across his ribs as Alphonse tightened a bandage around his torso. The boy insisted on remaining in order to inspect Jack's ribs.

The fall wasn't a part of the plan, but it certainly did help. Jack was sure rescuing the cat helped to get Alphonse's trust and, if not, it certainly was enough to plant the seeds.

But Jack wasn't sure, not with Alphonse. The boy always smiled and acted polite. As a result, he was difficult to read.

Unlike Ed who just looked at Jack and screamed the words grudge with his very stare.

With a heavy sigh, he watched the 13 year old check the binding around his chest, and step back, pleased. "That should do, Jack." Dark golden eyes sparkled. Alphonse planted his hands on his hips and studied the man. "I'm sure they're just bruised, but you might have to see a doctor to make sure."

Jack grabbed his shirt from the bed stand and pulled it on. "Nah, I'll live. Better me than you, anyways." He tried to sound paternal and reached out to scruff Alphonse's hair. To his surprise, the boy stiffened.

Both boys were damned skittish. It made his job more difficult. Widening his eyes, Jack lifted his palms. "Hey, I don't bite you know." He shifted his weight, feeling the bed beneath him creak. "Look, I appreciate you patching me up, that's all." To emphasize the point he tapped the bandage on his cheek. "See all better, I'm grateful…"

Sighing, Alphonse bit his lip. He looked away, apprehension crossing his young face. The kid wasn't the timid sort, but something bothered him. It had to be Edward, Jack decided. The boy was worried he was betraying his brother by trusting him.

Jack slowly came to a stand waving his hand at the boy. "Hey, I don't plan on coming between you and your brother. I'm just doing my job, ok?"

"It's not that." Alphonse informed quickly. He cleaned up the remaining bandages and alcohol and carried them into the bathroom. Jack heard the clatter of the medicine cabinet. "It's just... it's my fault you got hurt. I should have learned a long time ago, not to let people talk me into things I think are unwise."

"Eh?' Jack blinked. "Unwise?" It had nothing to do with Edward? How could he be so wrong about the child? "It's my job to…"

"You were far too large to climb that tree safely, Herr Harkness, and yet I let you talk me out of climbing it and doing it yourself." The boy came out of the bathroom, and lifted the kitten off the floor. The animal purred, and clawed up his arm so its head pressed into the nook of his arm. The boy's focused on the kitten and tiny smile crossed his face. He gently stoked it. "I let you climb the tree because I didn't want you knowing how capable I was. Better for you to think I'm weak, like this kitten."

Weak? Jack watched the child, for a moment, aware that Alphonse innocent smile was suddenly gone, and something dark hid behind his child like mask. "You're saying you're trying to play me?"

"Yes." Alphonse placed the kitten on his shoulder and let it bat at his long ponytail. "We're both playing games here, Mr. Harkness. The difference is, I'm not the child you're hoping I am and I'm too experienced to believe you're the nice guy you want me to think you are. So I took a well thought out tactical advantage to get what I wanted, and it hurt you. So I am very sorry."

Considering the boy's words, Jack buttoned his shirt. Alphonse didn't like using people, or at least, that was what his words said. "I accept your apology, Al."

He than addressed the boy's earlier accusation. " And, I am a nice guy, really."

Alphonse shook his head and crossed the room to the

coffee table and couch. There was something off about his gait, it was too smooth, and controlled like the boy was attempting to hide something.

Jack rubbed his chin. Yes, he was sure of it, both Edward and Al moved like experienced martial artists. He'd have to see them fight to be sure, but he was pretty confident his hunch would pan out. Was that what Alphonse was trying to say? He had skills that set him apart physically from other kids?

Alphonse placed the kitten on a crumpled blanket on the couch. Regret wrinkled his brow and he shook his head. "I know you say you are, Jack. But I can't let myself believe it." He sank down beside the kitten. He looked lost, and far younger than 13. It made Jack feel his own conscience twist. The boy was a walking weapon, as was his brother; yet... they were children, and didn't need anyone, not the Nazis, not Kaiser, or even his superiors to control them.

But he had his orders.

Alphonse wrapped his arms about his legs and buried his face. He peeped up, eyes peering though tangled bangs. "I'm sorry, Jack. I wish I could find it in my heart to be a child again, and trust."

"You are a child, Al," Jack informed. "I suppose your situation makes it hard to be one, but I see it. Between you and me, you and your brother should be being kids, not mini adults. Its not too late."

"Tell Kaiser that, when he tortures Noa and I to get Brother to work."

That hurt. Jack heaved a breath, and fought away the rising guilt. The boy was right. If he didn't have his orders, he would have found a way to help him. Alphonse must have realized it. Or perhaps, he was like his brother and out to make Jack miserable with anger-ridden comments about Jack's loyalty to his job. A job, Jack himself despised, but was sworn to do until he had further orders.

He watched the boy well aware the child was far more than he seemed. "If you feel guilty about me getting hurt falling out of the tree," Jack began. "Don't be, I damn well knew you'd climb it better than me, and that you're hiding something. Hell, I told you earlier I knew you weren't some ordinary brat."

"I've seen death before." Alphonse said absently. With his knees still drawn up, he reached out a free hand and picked up a bowl of milk he had retrieved from the kitchen earlier and held it close to the kitten. It lifted its head and sniffed the stuff, then hungrily delved into the liquid in a race to lap it up.

"I see it in your eyes." Jack weakly smiled. He walked to the boy's side and sank down on the couch next to him. How in God's name was he going to get the kid's trust? It was obvious both he and Edward carried far too much baggage to just trust anyone. "I really am here for your welfare, Alphonse."

The boy laughed. "I know you would like to believe that, Mr. Harkness." When the kitten finished drinking, he placed the bowl on the end table and unwound from his ball. "In your heart, I'm sure you want to be a hero. But you won't be one on Kaiser's payroll. I know you are different than the others, you talk to me, and treat me like a child." He blinked away tears. "I like being treated like a child, Jack. It makes me feel like I still have time to be one."

"Than be one." Jack reached over and touched the kitten's soft gray fur. It purred and peeked up at him with big green eyes. It made Jack feel like he had done some good. "So, what are you going to name him, and how are we going to convince Ed to keep him here?"

The tactic worked. Alphonse lifted the kitten and looked at it for a long moment. "Einstein. I'll name him Einstein. As for Edward…" He forced a childish smile. "I'm sure you'll come up with something. Hmm, let's tell him you are allergic to cats… He'll keep him around then…"

"Thanks a bunch." Jack leaned into the back of the couch. "Something tells me you're brother is a sadist."

He heard the boy suppress a chuckle. "Only to the people that cross him."

It was good to see him happy, even if it was only for a short time. Alphonse might have been a sneaky little bastard, but his heart was in the right place. Side glancing the cat, Jack couldn't help but feel pleased with himself. Yes, he failed to get Alphonse's trust, but at least the animal was no longer cold and frightened. It had a good home with Al. The boy would care for it. As for Edward, Jack wouldn't give him a moment's peace until he gave in.

It dawned on Jack Harkness he liked Alphonse Elric. And that wasn't a good thing.

The door across the room burst open, the Edward stalked in. He was white as a sheet, and his brow was drawn with thin lines that frowned around his delicate lips. If Jack read him right, the young man's eyes were haunted, and filled with desperation.

The long blond ponytail bounced behind him. Sloppy displaced strands of hair dangled around his neck and down past his shoulders. He was disheveled, and driven, reminding Jack of a mad scientist on the verge of some important, but horrifying discovery.

Edward Elric was distressingly attractive, even now. And despite Jack's attempts to not like the young man, he was unable to ignore the fact he was undeniably cute.

Taking no notice of them on the couch, Edward crossed over to the ladder and scaled it with one leap. He gave it a push, so the ladder rolled across the shelves to the opposite end, just past the couch. "Alphonse, the medical Journals you were reading, which one discussed diseases of the blood?"

Alphonse arched a brow, and came to his feet. "Well, there is the German Journal of Oncology." He climbed up the other half of the ladder. "It talks about diseases like Leukemia. We also have the New York State Journal of Medicine; it has lots of information on Hemophilia." The boy picked though the books, then pulled out two massive volumes and handed them to Edward. "You don't look well, Brother. You should be in bed."

Edward snorted, slid down the ladder. Circling the couch, he dropped the two volumes on the coffee-table, taking absolutely no notice of Jack. "I can rest anytime…"

He bent to sit, bottom first.

Jack lifted a brow, studying Edward's tight buttocks. "Hello, Ed. Hard at work I see."

The innuendo went completely over the Alchemist's head. Edward Elric plopped down, and turned to face the security guard with a mixture of shock and distain on his effeminate features. "What the HELL are you doing here?"

He did look ill, Jack decided. Those golden orbs were circled with dark bags, and a thin sheen of sweat dampened his brow. Glancing briefly at Alphonse, Jack stood. "You're brother invited me." He replied. "We had a little adventure, you see."

Alphonse lifted the kitten from its nest on the couch and held it close. "Jack was injured helping the kitten."

It was apparent; Edward was attempting to process the discussion. He looked from Al to Jack, three times before noticing the kitten, than dawning widened his gaze. "Alphonse…"

Alphonse held the animal out, so its' sad emaciated body was held a few inches in front of Edward's nose. "He was starving and freezing to death in a tree. Brother, how can you expect me to ignore him?"

Tears rimmed Al's wide eyes and his face was a mask of horror mixed with sadness. It was almost as pathetic as the kitten that mewed helplessly in his out stretched hands.

The kid was good, Jack thought. "I'm allergic…"

The kitten batted at Ed's nose. And Al's mouth trembled as he was on the verge of tears.

Three against one, the odds were certainly against Ed.

Edward touched the kitten's nose with a gloved finger, and then exhaled. His breath puffed his bangs up and away from his face as he slouched into the cushions behind him. "It seems like I have no choice in the matter." Edward Elric declared defeated. He waved an annoyed hand. A weak smile crossed his now pained face. "It will be good for you, Alphonse. How can I say no?"

Alphonse's gaze narrowed and he held the kitten close to his chest. Suspicion crossed his young brow. "What's wrong brother" His mouth formed a thin line and his gaze shifted to the books. "You're sick aren't you?"

Edward failed to meet the boy's gaze. "Of course I am ill. I've been working hard, with little sleep…"

"You know what I mean!" Alphonse snapped.

Edward's shoulders slumped and his eyes filled with guilt. " Later, Al." Weary golden eyes lifted, focusing on Jack. "Go."

How come he expected that? Still, he was concerned nonetheless. Even if Elric hated his guts, he didn't like seeing the kid looking so washed out.

Not to mention how little Alphonse's world was wrapped up in what his brother did.

Jack inhaled, and came to his feet. "I'll be waiting outside if you need me, Al."

"Thank you, Mr. Harkness, but I think I'll be ok." The boy replied. He joined Edward on the couch and placed a free hand on his arm. The kitten made its way to his lap and snuggled there. At least it would offer the boy some comfort. Jack had the feeling with what Edward had to tell Al, the boy would need it.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 9

Faith and Love

Alphonse

Edward was dying.

It was impossible to comprehend the flood of feeling washing over him as he sat, blinking away the tears spilling down his cheeks.

They were cursed, it had to be; ever since they performed forbidden Alchemy on their mother, God had condemned them. Happiness was always just out of their reach, and Alphonse wondered if in the end he'd ever find it.

He felt helpless, and lost. All those years fighting to find his brother seemed to be spent in vain now. It was unfair. God was so cruel to them. When would the punishment stop? When Edward's soul was dragged into the bowels of hell? The boy turned away and closed his eyes unable to watch his brother.

How could he be so detached about it? Couldn't Edward at least attempt to comfort his pain? Alphonse heaved a trembling breath. Yet all Edward could do was drive himself to study and search though those blasted books like there was nothing wrong.

Alphonse dragged in a long sob, and wrapped his arms about himself. His hope was faltering. With Edward he could do anything, but if Edward died, where would he be?

"What are you crying for, Al?" Edward asked. He shoved the Oncology book in front of Alphonse. "I'm not going to die. We'll find a cure for me. After all, we're Alchemists."

"In a world where Alchemy doesn't work." Alphonse replied blandly. He stupidly stared at the book. Tears dripped off his nose and on to the binding. "Edward…"

Ignoring him, Edward rolled up a sleeve and showed Al his arm. It was bruised in several places. "I bruise easy. Do you remember when mother was ill? Did she bruise like this?"

Bruising, Alphonse tried to think. Their mother kept her illness a secret, yet he seemed to remember her bruising easily. He nodded, wondering why Edward was asking the question. "We are not doctors, Edward."

"No, we are not." Edward turned a page. "But these books were written by doctors. And with our knowledge of Chemistry in relation to Alchemy and biology, we might figure out something they didn't. I just need a diagnosis."

It sounded promising, but he had been living with the hope of Edward's promises since Kaiser captured them. Alphonse opened his book, and rubbed the tears blurring his vision away with his shirt-sleeve. " Mother was tired all the time and got sick easily." Alphonse sniffled. "You have similar symptoms, don't you?"

Edward nodded. "I have nausea, I ache, thing is I'm not sure if its because of this damned cold." He wiped his brow with a gloved hand.

"Than why don't you get in bed, and let Alphonse and I help." It was Noa.

Alphonse hadn't heard her enter the room, but he wasn't surprised. He lifted his head. She closed the door quietly behind her, and made her way over to Edward. With a stern look, she took the book Edward had been reading and closed it. "You are only making it worse, by driving yourself."

Edward stood, annoyance wrinkling his brow. "Damn it, Noa!" He grabbed for the book, but the motion was too much. For a moment his eyes fluttered and rolled and he swayed.

A fit of panic swept Alphonse as he steadied his brother. Was it a cold? Or was it this phantom disease Noa predicted he'd die from? "Noa, help me get him into his bed!"

The woman quickly took his side, and together they carried Edward to his bed. The young man's head rolled, golden eyes half lidded and filled with exhaustion. "Al, we can't stop… I have to…"

"Rely on me." Alphonse said firmly. He undressed Edward and laid him down. Noa pulled the blankets around the youth, and tucked a pillow behind Edward's head.

Helpless, Edward tried to sit up, but Alphonse's hand gently pressed him back into the mattress. "You forget, Brother. I too looked into the Gateway of Alchemy. I was trapped there between eternity and hell for four years." The boy heaved a breath, trying to force away images of agony and violation. His body endured horrors he did not wish to imagine. A surge of fear caused him to tremble. "There was a reason I forgot what happened, brother. It was horrible, but I also I saw what you saw, space, time, matter itself. I know Alchemy as intimately as you do. I can help."

Edward bit his lip, loss and anguish reflecting in his dull eyes. "Al… Please, let me protect you…"

"You can't protect me, Brother." Al said firmly. He didn't blame Edward. The older boy was dedicated to his welfare and knew no other way. "I lost my innocence a long time ago. I just learned how to balance the child and hurt so I can grasp happiness when I see it." He touched his brother's pale hand. And squeezed it tenderly. "Let me protect you now."

Edward pressed his head into the pillow, eyes rolling shut. "Then find out what is wrong with me, Al. We'll find a cure together."

Alphonse considered his brother's words. Edward's pride was so strong, he'd never entirely let go, but it was a start. He looked over to Noa, feeling the weight of responsibility settle into his heart. "Take care of him, Noa."

The woman nodded.

Feeling a wash of relief, Alphonse Elric crossed the room to the medical journals. He sat down on the couch, then flipped open a book and began to read.

"God Damn it Al!" Edward shouted, glaring at his younger brother. He lay, back against pillows, blankets pulled around him in bed. He was shaky, and unable to avoid the younger boy as he took his hand and opened his middle finger.

The needle in the boy's hand glinted in the flickering gaslight. Somehow, Edward knew it would come to this; needles, pain and getting up the guts to face it all. He hated needles and had been hoping he'd be the one to do the blood test. But his hands trembled and his fever kept him put in bed. He barely had the strength to keep his eyes open.

Noa smiled as her hand closed about his fingers and held them still. "It is all right Edward, when Alphonse is finished, you can go back to sleep."

"Please Brother, keep still." Alphonse reminded, pressing the needle into the finger. His gaze shifted, concentration creasing his brow as he broke the skin. "I'm going to make a few slides."

There was a prick, and Edward exhaled, relieved it was over. He never liked pain, even if it was in the name of science. He didn't need it. He sighed, letting his brother squeeze his finger and smear three small glass plates. That hurt more than the prick. "Hey, hey, hey, what the hell, can't you be more careful?! THAT bloody well hurt!"

Noa giggled, smoothing his brow with a damp cloth and easing him back under his covers. "You must be feeling a little better today, Edward. You're irritable."

Edward blanched feeling his face warm. He wasn't that unpleasant was he? "I'm bored, two days in bed makes me fidgety." He folded his arms, watching his brother cross the room to the microscope they had put on Edward's desk. The kitten trotted faithfully behind him, and pawed at Alphonse's pant legs.

The boy prepared the slide and slipped it under the magnifier of the microscope and hunkered down over the apparatus and peered in.

Edward gritted his teeth, he hated the waste of time and was well aware the week was coming to a close. Kaiser would be expecting his report and results. They had lost close to three days researching his illness. With a heavy sigh, Edward rolled his head, focusing on Noa as she sat at his side, preparing a thermometer.

He was feeling a little better, and he suspected the fever was down, but he felt damned weak, and ached all over. To return to work was impossible, unless he did it from his bed.

If he could just stay awake long enough.

"Edward." Noa began, smiling at him kindly. He recalled how she remained at his side the entire time. "I can read your journals to you if you are worried about the Kaiser, I can also write."

Edward frowned. It was as if she read his mind. He let his eyes roll shut. The blackness was comforting. "I'm just worried I won't recover enough to do my work. Then Al will suffer."

She touched his cheek. "You're not very warm today. I think your fever is breaking. Perhaps tomorrow we can work on that report. Maybe Kaiser will understand if you explain you've been ill."

"He can't know." Edward snapped. "I can't have a doctor examine me." He opened his eyes, and studied the girl's dark features. She was weary with bags under her eyes. It appeared neither she or Al had slept since he had fallen ill. How could he let them worry so? With an effort, he struggled up, hands clumsily shoving the pillow beneath him under his back for support. "Hey, Al, what's taking so long?"

The boy shifted in his chair, and looked back to Edward. "I am counting your healthy cells. It seems you do have some abnormal cells and a low red cell count. But I want to make sure." He then flipped a page to the medical journal at his side.

"Abnormal cells?" Edward frowned. "How so? Premature? Do I have an acclimation of premature cells?"

"Let Al finish, Edward." Noa popped the thermometer in his mouth and lifted a finger when he went to object. "Keep it closed for five minuets." She scolded, pulling out his pocket watch and opening it. She checked the time. "You're only worrying yourself. "

Worrying himself? He was ready for anything, how could he be worrying himself? He opened his mouth when the thermometer nearly slipped from between his lips. Noa glared at him disapprovingly and lifted the watch. She'd have to take his readings all over again.

Damn. Edward stared at the woman, feeling his stomach drop. As always, she was right. He was more than worried. He was damned scared. Noa could read him all to well. In a way it was unfair. He has no ability to understand people, yet here she was, gifted in a way he could never comprehend. Pouting, Edward folded his arms, and waited.

He waited for his temperature to be taken. It was 100, down from 103, a good thing. He was recovering. With an impatient sigh, he slumped down into his bed, and hugged his blankets. He hated waiting.

Noa smiled at him, fingers pushing his matted blond hair from his eyes. "Why don't you sleep more, Edward. I think the rest is helping you."

It was helping him to waste time. Edward blew a puff of air, and watched his bangs flare out and trickle back into his eyes. "Hell, I've slept enough." He gritted his teeth and not saying a word, waited for Al to finish.

Perhaps he fell asleep for a short while, the world around him blurred away into a restless dreamscape that stretched and yawned before him. He was helplessly running, something dark following him, hungering for his soul.

The blackened amorphous shape reached out, amoebae like form mutated and grasped him with to thousands of hands when Al's soft voice shattered the darkness, drawing his mind back to the room.

Lazily, he cracked one eye open.

His brother and friend stood together near the microscope and Al whispered to the girl as she peered into the device. "You see, he is anemic, and his white blood cell count is low as well. He must have had this condition for some time, and was completely unaware of it. I'm worried Noa."

The gypsy girl looked up, long hair veiling over her cheek. "I have heard of the disease, but I'm not sure how they treat it."

What disease? Had Alphonse come up with a diagnosis? Edward focused, listening carefully.

Alphonse sighed. He was haggard and lost. Edward saw tears rimming his eyes. The boy closed the book and shook his head. "There isn't a definite cure. As far as I can tell, in most cases, it's terminal, but I've read they use Fowler's solution to help slow it down, even cure some. They're currently experimenting with bone marrow transplants in rats and mice, but that's radical, and relatively new in research. Nothing has been tried on humans."

Noa's shoulders slumped. "They use Fowlers solution for Everything, Alphonse. That's not very helpful." She held in a sob, arms wrapping about her slender form. "Oh dear God, poor Edward."

They were talking as if they had no hope. Edward's heart thudded heavily against his chest. It was unfair, why hadn't God forgiven him yet? He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to calm his racing mind. He wasn't dead yet. He was an alchemist for God's sake. He'd find a cure. "Fowlers solution." Edward pulled himself up on an elbow. "As I recall, Alfons resorted to it as his tuberculosis progressed. It did no good for him." He reached over to the bed stand and lifted his notebook. "I believe arsenic trioxide is in Fowlers, and I think it was Arsenic Trioxide the doctors wanted to treat mother with…"

Sniffling, Alphonse nodded. He picked up the medical book and held it tight to his chest. "I don't really remember what the doctor's said about mother, only that her disease could have been cured if she had treated it earlier. You have Leukemia, I'm not sure of the variety, but the samples I took shows definite signs of abnormality. Brother, according to my findings, you only have a few months to live, if that."

Nodding, Edward swiftly thumbed though his book, back to the beginning and his earliest notes on Alchemy. "It doesn't matter," he fingered the page, finding the disjointed scribbles of a distraught child. How long ago was it? 8 years, it felt like forever. He forced back the flood of memories, and directed his attention to the print.

His printing.

He was dying…

Edward swallowed the lump in his throat. He was terrified. How many times had he faced death in a battle? But it was different here. He was wasting away helplessly to only become components to someone in the world of Alchemy. "Damn it…. Damn it, I just can't die, Al. Not like mom, not like mom…." Tears spilled down his cheeks, and dribbled on to the paper. Ink smeared in the cool wet pool, bringing his attention to the bottom of the page. "Yes, yes, that's it. Arsenic trioxide. Its in the heavy metals group, Alchemist's often use it for creating remedies to treat a variety of diseases." He snapped the book shut, feeling a small hint of hope. "God Damn it! Al, at least there is something in this world like our own! I'm not ready to die yet!"

"We have Fowlers in the medicine cabinet." Alphonse said, his voice hitched. He turned to go into the bathroom.

Edward shook his head. "No Al, Fowlers isn't a guaranteed cure. I'll make my own remedy. Together, we can do the math based on my weight and devise a formula with what we know about poisons and medicines from our world, than I'll take that. God damn it, I not leaving this world without a fight!"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 10

Painful Realizations

Alphonse

It was late and most of the staff was home. Kaiser left one security guard on duty in the evening, and that night, it was Jack.

Alphonse Elric stood, starting at the large suit of armor propped up in the hall near one of the many paintings hanging on the wall.

He blinked, looking at the thing, studying its seven-foot metal frame, as it seemed to stare across the mahogany and brick walls. It was polished metal: Aluminum or steel, with large rounded and broad chest plates and spiked shoulder guards. It vaguely reminded him of the suit his father had in his study; the same armor his soul was bound to six years ago.

There were three paintings in the hall, one of Noa, and the other two of he and Edward. Kaiser commissioned them from photos he had taken and insisted on hanging the pieces in their tower, claiming it made the place their home, rather than a prison.

It was ironic; Al's painting was set near the armor. He was sitting stiffly in a fine brown suit, looking out with sad eyes and his hands folded neatly on his lap.

The boy preferred the photos from Rizenbool hidden in Edward's suitcase. At least they were smiling or laughing in them.

Looking both ways, the boy made sure Jack hadn't returned. He sent the security guard in to check on Edward so he could examine the wall, and confirm his hunch.

With luck, Noa would keep him long enough to allow Al some time to explore.

If his hunch was right, the secret passage's entrance was near the kitchen. He dashed across the hall into the kitchen, secured a stool and plopped it on to the floor near the armor. In his many trips to the garden, he was sure he heard the clanking of metal, like something was being removed and put into place. He eyed the armor; aware it was the only metal thing in the hallway. It had to be what he was hearing. Determined to solve the mystery, they boy stepped onto the stool and lifted the head off the armor. The motion sounded familiar. Quickly, he checked the back of the wall. Sure enough there was a small switch.

Knocking on the wall next to the suit he heard a low hollow sound. The secret panel was hidden behind the painting. His painting.

With a sigh of relief Al found himself smiling. Hi senses hadn't let him down. He knew the way out.

Touching the armor, the boy found himself staring into its chest cavity and at the dull glint of sanded metal. He felt a chill, recalling the day he first regained consciousness in his metal form.

He felt something bump his leg and rub against his ankle. Looking down, he saw Einstein. The kitten mewed and fidgeted, looking back and down the hall, toward their room.

"I know, Einstein. Just one more moment." Alphonse whispered. Carefully pricking his finger, he traced an array on the back of the armor with his blood. He wasn't entirely sure why, it was just an impulse. Or perhaps his gut drove him to do it for deeper reasons. Alchemy worked differently there, or so, that was his hunch. If they managed to make it work, the armor would be useful….

And it would be marked just like the seven others in the library…

He had been busy the last few weeks.

Now that Edward was ill, it was up to him to make things work. It never hurt to prepare ahead of time, just in case. Over the last week, he had been developing a plan based on Edward's calculations and recent experiments with Noa.

Einstein pawed the stool. Drawing his attention to the animal. It whined and looked down the hall uneasily. The kitten must have heard something.

The boy cursed. Swiftly, Al placed the helmet on the armor and jumped down. He sprinted into the kitchen with the stool. He dropped it on the floor near the main cupboard.

"Alphonse?" It was Jack.

The boy froze, breathing deeply. How was he going to explain this? They weren't allowed in the kitchen at all. In fact the door was locked; he had picked it open to get the stool. He stuck his head out, faking a large uneasy smile. "Just finding a snack for Edward." He said. "Don't worry, the cook locks up all the knives and silverware so I can't find any weapons."

The man slowly closed the door to the bedroom. "Edward isn't hungry, Al. In fact he's sleeping. You're up to something."

With an uneasy laugh, the boy scratched the back of his head with one hand. "Ah, no, really, what would I be up to?"

"Let me see, as I recall, it is the prisoner's duty to find an escape route… " Jack tapped his chin with a finger thoughtfully. "And Hmm, let me see, I think you know we have secret passages around here, am I right?"

Alphonse lifted the kitten into his arms and carefully backed away from the kitchen. "So, are you going to break my arm now?" He asked, well aware Jack was Kaiser's eyes and ears. "But then again, you did screw up earlier, and not blindfold me the other day… so it really is your fault I figured out you used secret passages…"

Jack exhaled, dropping his chin. "God damn it, will you stop with the broken arm thing already. I hate it when you do that." He closed the distance between them and shut the kitchen door. "I bet you don't do that to the other guards when they're on duty."

"I don't like the other guards. They treat me like an object." Alphonse replied. "A breakable object. You're nice and not a sociopath. Now, what are you going to do? Hum? Tell the Kaiser I know too much?"

Jack shook his head and folded his arms. He wrinkled his brow as if he was considering his next action. Tension washed over Alphonse and he wondered if he had driven the security guard too far. Perhaps he shouldn't press him too much.

Jack glanced down at him, and lifted a brow. "No, he'd have his thugs break your arm, and fire me. Money for this gig is too good kid. I'm taking you to the lab, like you asked."

"And who is going to watch over Noa and Edward?" Alphonse exhaled, relieved. He knew he could count on Jack and didn't believe the money part one bit. The man was too chatty with him to just be in it for the money. And he did nearly kill himself saving Einstein.

"They'll be fine for the moment, Ed's out like a light and Noa's watching over him. So… Tell me. What's going on? Is he ok?"

"A cold, that's all." Al replied. He started to walk down the hall, toward the lab, with Jack keeping stride next to him. "He hasn't been taking care of himself. He's been worried, and the Kaiser works him too hard. He expects too much of Edward." It was a half-truth, but he couldn't let Jack know how ill Ed really was. It had been a week since his collapse and even though his fever was gone, he just hadn't fully gained his strength back.

Over the last week, Al and Ed devised a treatment for his illness. A cocktail of Arsenic Trioxide and vitamins mixed with a host of other chemicals to help fight the cancer and restore Ed's health. The problem was, the tonic made Ed violently ill, and in his weakened condition, he was virtually bed ridden and unable to do Kaiser's work.

Noa convinced the Kaiser that Ed was suffering from influenza, and needed time to recover, and the man appeared to be patient on the matter.

In the evenings, when Jack was on, Al visited the Lab, and worked on making a large supply of tonic and studied Edward's notes. He was particularly interested in Flammarion's research on psychic matter in its relation to the fifth dimension.

Al had already come to the conclusion that there was no true psychic matter, only the energy created by tapping or opening of barriers between dimensions, specifically the fourth and fifth dimension. Psychics like Noa were sensitive to the weaknesses in these barriers and were capable of looking into time and seeing possible futures. If they could devise a way, Edward planned on finding a technique to detect these weakness using Noa's powers. First, they needed to find a way to convince the Kaiser they had a way to measure and locate these rifts. But doing so was harder done than said. Edward planned on trying to convince the man they needed to travel to 'mystical locations" in order to run tests on both Noa's abilities and the Earth's electromagnetic waves.

But Al wasn't sure if they had the time to engage in the rituals used in the scientific method. Edward's condition was in a rapid decline. If his treatment failed, Al would have to use a human transmutation to attempt an Alchemical bone marrow transplant.

Something he knew Edward would never approve of. So in secret, he spent most of his spare time, studying the human body in relation to bone marrow, the blood and oncology.

In the end though, the boy had to make Alchemy work regardless of the rules of scientific logic.

"Al, I've been a little worried about you." Jack's voice said as they rounded the corner and down a set of stairs. At the end of the hall, Alphonse saw the heavy wooden door of the lab.

He was so lost in thought he forgot where he was. Lifting his head, he met Jack's gaze. "Why?"

"You're distracted, that's all." Jack explained. He stopped in front of the lab and inserted the key into the door. Einstein wove his slender body between the man's feet, purring.

Alphonse bit his lip, feeling awkward. He didn't like lying to Jack, especially about Edward's condition, but they couldn't risk Kaiser knowing the truth. Besides, he knew Jack could spot one of his fibs a mile away, so he had to word himself very carefully. "I'm ok. I've been just trying to help brother with his work. And my head is filled with all sorts of things right now."

"So much you don't sleep these days." Jack studied him. He placed an arm across the doorway, so Alphonse couldn't pass.

Heaving a breath, Alphonse wondered if he really looked tired. It was true. He hadn't been sleeping. "Is it that obvious?"

"Edward is more than sick, isn't he, kid?" The words tightened Alphonse's gut and put him on guard. Eventually he knew Jack would mention it, but he wasn't ready for it, not tonight.

"He still has the flu." Alphonse explained. "And I've been feeling under the weather myself. " He gave a little cough, then ducked under Jack's arm. "I'll only be an hour or so, Jack."

Jack shook his head. "An hour eh? The last time you said that I was here all night." Pressing his hands on the door framed, Jack leaned into the doorway, looking into the room. Ed forbade him from entering, and he was pretty good about listening to the Alchemist's orders. "You need your sleep. Especially if you are getting sick. You'll be no good to Edward, Noa and Einstein if you're sick."

Einstein slipped into the room, between Jack's feet and jumped on Edward's desk in the corner. There, he curled up on a stack of papers "I will really try, Jack."

Alphonse lifted a hand, placed it on Jack's chest, and gently pushed the man out and closed the door behind him. With a sigh, the boy leaned against it, and looked across the room, troubled.

"Crap, Einstein, how the hell are we going to make this work?" He sighed, and slid down the door, staring across the room at the wooden floor. "Experimenting is important, but it takes too much time." He said out loud, "but what about what we already know about the gate. Perhaps I need to take brother's notes, and recreate what the Thule did to open the portal and work from there…"

The kitten lazily lifted its head, and yawned. "Yes, some assistant you are." Alphonse came to his feet, and nudged the animal from Edward's desk. Predictably, Einstein was lying on a stack of papers, and on Edward's notebook. Al had left it in the lab the night before accidentally. Fortunate for him, Edward was too busy vomiting to take notice and scold him. Al was well aware the notes could have been stolen by the guards, and felt awful about it. A mistake he was not going to repeat.

Luckily, the book was where he left it, untouched. With a relieved sigh, Alphonse opened it and flipped to the beginning.

It was a good thing he understood Edward's code. Still, it was going to be a long night and Al seriously doubted he'd get any sleep.

The clock on Edward's desk said it was 4 am. Al had been in the lab close to six hours.

Alphonse straightened his stiff limbs and worked out the pins and needles. He ached. He had been hunched on the floor for five hours, drawing. It was an array based on the array he saw in the underground city. Edward had copied it in his note shortly after his arrival in London.

He wasn't sure why, but he abandoned the Thule's research and focused on Edward's previous notes. It wouldn't help him return home. Neither he or Edward were willing to pay the cost but perhaps it could help him understand the gate's power. Was it just a rift? Or something more?

Looking down, he studied the intricate design aware it was more complex than he thought. In fact, it didn't quite match the array Edward sketched out in the book. It was beautiful, yet dark, like the gateway itself. He shivered involuntarily and dropped the calk and stepping away form the array. He was shaking. Confused, the boy looked around, the lab. He barely recalled scribbling down the symbols, they seemed to flow out of him as if he were calling on something internal as he worked. The truth? His legs felt like rubber and it was difficult to stand.

Suddenly, he needed to leave, escape, and be away from that thing…

He felt cold. The Gateway wasn't just a place. It was a living thinking omniscient thing that digested souls and spat them out as mindless energy.

To him, it was the monster that dissolved his body and held it hostage for four years in its abyss. It made him, his flesh and bone, a part of it. Edward did more than just save his soul. He saved his humanity.

He and Edward avoided discussing it, but Alphonse knew, souls from this place were destined for it, and now when he and Edward died they'd share that fate. Was that why the Gate let him crossover without equivalent exchange? Because it knew his life there was short and it would get the powerful soul of an alchemist to fuel it?

Was that why Edward was dying?

Alphonse shook his head, phantom tendrils from his past reached out, seizing his flesh and pawed at his limbs. The boy batted them away and then came to the realization it was only his imagination.

He wasn't being attacked. The gateway didn't exist here like it did at home. Not, until they died.

But why did mediums and clairvoyants claim the dead talked back to them? Were they charlatans? Certainly Edward's research proved their power existed. Was it possible the Gate didn't draw on every soul there?

He looked at the floor and the swirling lines in an attempt to tell himself it was an array and without the power of Alchemy, it was only a picture and nothing more.

Yet, that thing he drew, it made his flesh crawl.

The boy sucked in a breath and rubbed his arms. The hairs were standing on end as if there was something was squirming under his own skin.

It, it was there. His soul was spared four years of madness, but his human brain endured the truth of it for four years.

The boy swallowed. The memories of squirming blackness yawned before him, threatening to break free of their confines.

The truth.

Not even the truth, the understanding of creation at its atomic level, could spare his innocence.

It was maddening.

Without thinking, Alphonse turned and opened the door.

He was sweating and it was difficult to stand.

Good old Jack looked down at him, cool blue eyes assessing him where he stood. "Al?"

"I'm ready to go back, Jack." His mouth was dry, and his tongue felt thick, like something had wormed its gooey, sickening, way there. It was hard to stay focused. "I'm tired you see. I really do need rest, and you've been standing here far too long. I'm sorry."

"That's ok.' Jack put a hand on his shoulder. "You look horrible, kid. I suggest you take a day off, ok?"

The man's words became a dim echo and Alphonse found his mind drifting and himself staggering into his arms. Why was he so terrified? "Damn it, what does it make me if my body was trapped by the gate, something that changes everything that it touches? I'm so bloody close, Jack, but I just can't face it. He's dying… And I'm too much a coward to save him."

Jack looked at him, confused.

It was only after he had said the words that he realized he'd betrayed his promise to Edward. A moment later tendrils of blackness took him.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 11

Seeing Red

Edward

He was sitting in the dinning hall, staring blankly at a glass of wine. It was bright red, and glinted in the room's gaslight lamps. Lifting it, he studied it, face intent on its contents.

It was almost opaque, and was dark like blood. Edward Elric leaned back in the chair, his gut tightening. He was dying of leukemia.

But why did it go into an acute form so quickly? He was suffering from minor symptoms only a few weeks ago. It shouldn't have accelerated so quickly.

Was it the wine?

"Hello, Edward, how nice to see you again, remember me? And to think, you thought I was gone when he died…" A familiar effeminate form crossed the room, long tendril hair wavering behind his delicate heart shaped face.

"I'm dreaming…Envy." Edward went to stand, but his body refused to move. He was rooted to the chair, paralyzed. Anger filled him as Edward watched the homunculus run his pale fingers along the table. He gave a broad wicked smile.

Envy stopped in front of him, his hand tracing up Edward's thigh, up his chest and tapped his nose with a finger. "I smell DEATH… Your death! You've just made my day, Fullmetal pipsqueak!"

"I'm not dying, Damn it!" Edward shouted, voice weak from exhaustion. "I'm not going to die until I pound your god damned face into the ground, do you hear me? You mother fucking son of a bitch!" He strained against his invisible bonds. "AND DON'T CALL ME PIPSQUEAK!!"

Leaning against the table, Envy inspected his nails looking board. He lifted a brow. "Are you done yet?"

Weakness washed over him and Edward slumped. It took all his strength to keep himself from collapsing. "No. You killed my father."

"He deserved to die, and I've got front row seats, darling, for your death." He reached down, hands curling around the glass. He lifted it up, and swirled it leisurely. "I can't believe you've been so stupid." Pressing the glass to his lips. He savored the fluid. "Yum, now that's a charge. To bad, it will kill you… Even here."

Lifting his head, Edward studied the glass, features puzzled.

Then it dawned on him. It wasn't wine. Edward grabbed the glass from Envy, and stared deep into it. It was blood thick with silvery bubbles, and seemed to absorb the light rather than reflect it. Redwater. Edward wet his lips. Was it possible he had been exposed to the stuff of recent? It had been years since he stepped into it, and the exposure nearly killed him. Edward stared at the glass with growing horror. He looked down at his legs, recalling how the toxic stuff splattered him. Yes, it was enough to give him a slow wasting disease especially if he could potentially inherit it from his mother.

But what did the glass mean? As far as he recalled he hadn't seen any redwater in this world. He would have recognized it on the spot.

Unless it was heavily diluted. Like in their food, or drinking water.

Or Wine… Edward set his jaw. How many bottles of wine had he been drinking of late? Rudolph delivered a bottle every night with dinner.

Envy smiled, showing pointed teeth. "You would like to know, wouldn't you little brother?" He leaned forward, hands gripping the arms of Edward's chair. "Well let me tell you this, before you die, I'm going to make it so you wished you never lived."

A scream turned Edward's head. Where the wall should have been was a gaping oozing black hole with tentacles. The dark dripping things were wrapped around a struggling Alphonse, and dragging him back into blackness beyond. "BROTHER!!" The boy thrashed as a thick thing sank deep into his mouth, cutting off his words.

"Let him go! Damn bastard!" Edward bolted up, the binds around him suddenly breaking as the dreamscape around him shattered like a billion pieces of crystal.

He was sitting up in bed, in the dim golden rays of early morning. Pressed into his side was Alphonse. The boy was curled on his side, tangled in sheets, face pressed into his pillow and his arms wrapped about his chest. Long golden wheat hair dripped down his brow into his face and his lips mumbled silent nothings. He was still dressed and his hair was loosely tied back as if he had fallen asleep studying. The thirteen year old was restless, and pale, but safe.

There was no Envy.

There was no gate.

It was a meaningless nightmare.

A painful and sickening twist in Edward's gut greeted his efforts and he felt vomit fill his mouth. Clasping his hand over his lips, Edward half climbed, half fell out of his bed, and scrambled into the adjacent bathroom. Anguished, he buckled over the open toilet and wretched.

He heaved for what seemed like forever, but it finally settled, and he collapsed to the floor, gasping for air.

It hurt all over, never in his life had he felt so dreadful. Not even the day of his death at Envy's hands more than two years ago felt as bad. At least, then there was a numbing blackness that settled over him, and a peace drawing him into painless bliss.

Hugging his waist, Edward Elric hunched over. He tried to curl into a ball, and wished he could just vanish from the face of the earth just until the pain passed.

Eventually it would, it always did, and left him exhausted and wanting to sleep.

He was sure he'd never eat again. The damned tonic made him so violently ill even broth shook up his entire digestive track.

"Edward." Noa hesitated in the doorway, piety tearing in her dark eyes. She dropped to his side, and pulled him up into her lap. She gave a sob, hands stroking his aching back. Not that he could blame her. He must have looked awful. "I fell asleep." She said apologetically. "I was reading on the in the parlor on the couch, watching you from there and the next think I know, you're gone… I am so sorry Edward."

Clumsily wiping his mouth with his nightshirt sleeve, Edward Elric weakly sat up. "No sweat." He said. "I actually feel better after that." He forced a week smile, and patted her thigh. "Nothing better then emptying the old stomach after a nap. Really." He leaned his back against the door-frame. His stomach was settling, and he felt his strength returning. "I now know what they mean by the cure is worse than the disease."

Their gaze's met. Noa wasn't smiling. Her dark full lips trembled and her eyes scanned him up and down with horror. He suddenly wondered why she still remained at his side. Kaiser could have given her anything with her abilities. Yet, she stayed with him, day in and day out, even now when he could do nothing for her safety. He touched her cheek, feeling the warm tears.

Tears he refused to shed for himself. "I'm sorry for scaring you, Noa."

"How do you do it, Edward?" She asked, grief filling her words. "You're miserable, and yet here you are, trying to protect me again…"

He shrugged, feeling helpless. "I suck at being a patient, that's all." He gently informed. His fingers trailed down her chin and dropped away. "I scared you, it's unfair after what you've gone though. I shouldn't rob you of your hope." Using the doorframe, he rose to his feet. His legs wobbled at first, but after a moment of standing he felt stable enough to let go. "You see; I get stronger every day."

Noa looked skeptical, but a hint of a smile twitched across her face.

Much better, Edward titled his head and extended a hand. Noa refused it and stood on her own. "You are a stubborn bastard, Herr Edward Elric."

"Heh, giving up never got me anywhere." He folded his arms, trying to look confident and waved a hand. "Besides, I've been in bed too long, Noa. I need to do something."

Edward went to turn, when Noa placed a hand on his shoulder. "Edward, please get back into bed. You need to keep up your strength. I'll get you something from the kitchen…"When you are ready, you can eat."

Eating, it was the last thing on his mind, but he had to eventually. He brushed his straggly bangs from his face, catching a glimpse of his gaunt features in the bathroom mirror. He had lost weight. "May be a little later, I need a shower."

Disgusted with himself, he shut the bathroom door and went to the sink to wash up. It didn't take long, and when he finished he tied his long damp hair back into a ponytail. He looked and felt more himself.

Of course, the feeling would vanish at his next dose of tonic, but that was expected. He planned on doing a blood test that afternoon and see if the medicine was having any effect on his cancer. If he was lucky, he would only have to endure another week of treatment, then wait a week or so before he started again.

Hopefully he'd put himself in remission. That was unless something other than natural causes was behind his cancer.

He paused, blinking into the mirror with hollow golden eyes. Why did he think that? It was a dream right?

But it made sense. The redwater could easily be responsible for his leukemia.

Edward opened the door and peered out. Noa was sitting on the bed with her back turned to him. She had a book in hand and was turning pages.

Quietly, he crept over to his dresser and grabbed a pair of pants. He pulled them on and struggled out of his night shirt. "I need for you to watch out for Al."

Noa looked over her shoulder. Concern and fear flashed across her face. She folded her hands over the book and squeezed her fingers. "What are you up to Edward?"

Fishing into his closet, Edward Elric flashed a sharp sneer. For the first time in days he felt his spirit return. "I have business with the Kaiser." He took out clean shirt, donned it on and buttoned it up. "The bastard owes me an explanation."

The woman didn't appear too pleased with the idea, and he didn't want to take the time to explain why. Rather, he looked at Al amazed the boy hadn't stirred. "Please, Noa. Trust me."

How many times had he asked those words? Edward shrugged on his black vest. The dream kept returning to him, reminding him how his imprisonment could have easily made him vulnerable to his enemies.

Even if Envy was dead, the Thule could have obtained redwater from his father, or perhaps from Envy. He needed to know for sure, what the Kaiser knew about the Thule and most of all, if he did indeed have access to any redwater.

"&&

"You son of a bitch! What the hell do you really want?" Edward Elric shouted, whipping off his blindfold and stalking across the office to the elegantly carved mahogany desk at the end.

The room wasn't large and housed a desk, and a few bookcases lined two walls. A golden globe of the world stood near the desk giving the room an Edwardian look. There was also a cabinet, and one suit of armor. Red and golden tapestries with a shield and golden griffin hung on the wall behind Kaiser's desk. It had to be his family coat of arms, but it reminded Edward painfully of the state military.

Kaiser, sat at the desk, dressed in a quilted, red velvet robe with a woven gold collar. His hair was impeccably neat, and his face was alert, as if he had awoke some time ago, but was leisurely enjoying his morning before getting himself ready.

A cup of coffee sat near his left hand and a stack of bound paper sat in front of him like he was waiting until last minute to take care of his business.

Just like Roy.

No, Edward reminded himself, an evil doppelganger of Roy.

Kaiser's brow narrowed, displeasure frowning his lips. It was the same expression Roy gave him when Roy was annoyed at him. "I see your manners haven't improved since you've taken with Influenza." He said, coolly. He lowered his papers and picked up his cup of coffee. "So I suppose you are feeling better now."

Edward glared at him, and slammed his palms on Kaiser's desk and scowled at the man. "You have not been fully honest with me, Herr Kaiser and now I want answers!"

Leisurely, Kaiser lifted his mug to his lips and took a sip. "How do you mean, Herr Elric? I have told you, everything you need to know to do your work and live here. Haven't I given you the woman, comfortable quarters to live in and a place to do your research? You and your bother even have an allowance to purchases whatever you need when asked. I even tolerated that damned cat your brother rescued. There should be no complaints." He lowered the mug and folded his hands neatly on the desk.

Edward clenched his teeth and tightened his fist. He noticed the Kaiser's gaze shift to one of the guards and nod. The man bowed and vanished out the door. They were up to something.

"How can I do my work, unless I really understand what you know." Edward measured his words carefully. "You want to make Alchemy work here, for your own uses, and you give me a library and a lab with material that only a man who understand the arcane arts could possible collect."

Kaiser chuckled and shook his head. He stood, the soft leather chair behind him creaking. "Come now, Edward… May I call you that? You have been living here for almost two months now, I feel we should be on a first name basis."

"I'm not your personal pet, Herr Kaiser." Edward hissed. "Answer the question. What do you know about the Thule and my father, or I will do nothing for you!"

Circling the desk, Kaiser faced Edward. He looked down to the young man, features twitching with disappointment. "I see, I thought you were smarter than this, Edward. But it seems rumors of your temperament are true."

Hands seized Edward from behind, dragging his arms behind his back. Startled, Edward thrashed, aware his strength was not even a quarter of what it had been when he was well. "You're poisoning me!" The words came out with a rush of irrational anger. "God Damn you! You're fucking poisoning me with Redwater, what the hell do you want from me dead!?"

Genuine surprise crossed the Kaiser's features and he smiled thinly. His hand touched Edward's chin and lifted it. He carefully inspected the young Alchemist, the way one would inspect their prized racehorse at a derby. "I am very disappointed in you, even more so now. You actually believed I was so stupid as to waist my money keeping you and your brother alive and comfortable just so I could poison you?"

Loathing knotted Edward's gut as he glared at the man. As much as he hated to admit it, Kaiser had no idea what he was talking about. "I am not dying."

Ignoring him, Kaiser released his face and strolled to his globe. Thoughtfully he spun it around and watched it. "I suspected it was more than influenza. Noa told me of her predictions some time ago. So it is true, you are dying, what else are you hiding form me?"

"Nothing." He couldn't show weakness, not now. "What do you know about the Thule and my father."

Kaiser sighed. "You are beginning to sound like a broken phonograph. But I suppose I can answer the question. I prefer being straight forward, unlike you." He placed his hands behind his back and looked Edward in the eye. "When he was at the university in London, I funded his research. I also introduced him to the Bare Bones Society, which eventually lead him to the Thule. We understood each other, Edward. I have always been fascinated with the occult, and unlike Dateline, I didn't fool myself with the idea it was all science. You see, the concept of Equivalent exchange, Edward is about bargains. And one only makes bargains with demons and devils. So, my young Faust, I was well aware you and your brother bargained with the devil. But unlike your father, you tricked the devil and broke whatever magical ties he had on you. Something I am very interested in learning myself."

"There is no God Damned Devil!" Edward sneered. The Kaiser was mad. The young Alchemist leaned forward body pulling at the hands holding him. "You're bloody insane!"

"Am I? Then why are you dying Edward Elric? Is it the Devil, trying to lay claim to the soul denied to him?"

Dropping his head, Edward closed his eyes. It couldn't be true. He didn't believe in devils. Yet, in truth, a part of him associated the Gateway with one. It was a living metaphysical force, capable of drawing in souls and tapping their energy. The Alchemist mastered this energy, and in a way, served the gateway in a twisted symbiotic relationship. Something he never understood as a child.

But realized now, as he was dying.

He didn't believe in God, but he worshiped Alchemy. The GATE was his god.

Or devil, he found himself accepting the Kaiser's metaphor.

In that context, he had made a deal with it when he resurrected Al and passed though. His soul would be equivalent exchange for Al's life.

As long as he stayed on this side of the gate, he would some day die and become a part of the gate's power. At the time, it was a fair exchange, he never intended on staying in the real world for long. Yet, he did succeed in leaving.

But he returned to close the portal and Al followed. The gate must have known this when it let Al crossed over without payment.

Horror filled him. Edward felt his stomach twist.

Kaiser and the dream were right. It must have known he was dying when he passed though.

He was Faust, and the Devil was laying claim to his soul now. Neither he nor Al would ever know happiness.

The click of the door latch turned his attention. Edward opened his eyes, to see Rudolph and one of their security guards.

Between them was a blurry eyed Alphonse. The boy was still dressed in his rumpled clothes from the night before. They must have aroused him and dragged him from his bed.

"Now," Began the Kaiser. "Back to the subject at hand, Edward. It seems to me you have been hiding things from me…"

Licking his lips, Edward glanced to Al, who blinked at him helplessly. "What do you mean? I haven't been honest? I've sent your reports! You know exactly what I am doing in my lab! What have I lied to you about?"

Kaiser's dark gaze became very cold. "You're health and your notes."

The words barely fell from his lips, when Rudolph twisted Alphonse's arm wrenching it up the boy's back. Alphonse gave a yelp as he struggled to hold in a scream.

"STOP IT DAMN IT! Stop it! OR I'll never fucking work for you again!" Edward lunged forward, feeling the hold on his arms tighten and yank him back.

There was a grotesque snapping sound, Alphonse stiffened, tears filling his eyes.

Kaiser's smiled broadened. "Never work for me, Herr Elric? As if you have a choice? " His attention shifted to Rudolph.

A cold shiver swept Edward's spine. There was a familiar glint in the man's eye, as if he was secretly enjoying injuring Alphonse. It was personal. Edward's Struggles became more desperate "Son of a bitch! Son of a bitch!"

"Rudolph, show young Elric why is isn't wise for his brother to hide things from me."

"My pleasure, Kaiser."

Pleased, Kaiser returned to his desk and seated himself. He neatly folded his hands and watched. "When we are done with this exercise, Edward, you will be so kind to give me your notes, unedited?"

Edward grit his teeth together. "Let him go…"

Rudolph shoved Alphonse into the guard's arms, and cracked his knuckles. Al's brow furrowed. Lightning fast, the youth lashed out, foot slamming into the thug behind him, into his crotch. The man gasped, releasing the young Alchemist. Swiftly, Alphonse sprang, fist swiping out at Rudolph. He missed his face, but he connected squarely in the German's chest, knocking him back several steps.

Edward's eye's widened, even with one broken arm, his younger brother was quite formidable. Now, if he could only get arms free.

Rudolph lunged, fists pumping into Alphonse's gut, chest and jaw. Even though he was considerably larger than the boy, he was inhumanly fast. The blow knocked the teenager into the wall, broken arm first, where he slid down stunned. Within moments, Rudolph seized the boy's shirt and dragged him to his feet, striking with a fist to the face.

Rudolph went for another blow. When something forced the heavy wooden doors beside him open, knocking him off balance and away from Alphonse.

It was Jack Harkness.

"IDOIT!" Rudolph sprang to his feet, swinging his attention and fists toward Jack.

There was a blur of movement, and Harkness's cocked pistol was aimed at Rudolph's nose. "That's enough, the kid can't stand."

A glint of crazed rage passed over Rudolph's features. He was being denied his prey. "He struck me!"

It reminded Edward of Envy.

Across the room, Kaiser leaned back in his chair, puzzled. "What brings you here? Jack? I gave an order."

"Yes, but I beg to differ with your order. Edward is dying and Alphonse is the only other person capable of finishing his work. Beating him to death isn't going to help your investment." Jack said, evenly. He lowered his gun and holstered it. He fixed Kaiser with an unrelenting stare.

Rubbing his chin, Gustave Kaiser studied Alphonse's broken form thoughtfully. "Ahh, yes, it appears, Herr Harkness you have a point. As I recall, Hohenheim mentioned his youngest was talented in Alchemy."

Disappointment filled Rudolph's features. However, it faded quickly as he conceded to the Kaiser. Bowing he straightened his clothing. "If that is what you wish Kaiser. "

"It is. You are dismissed Rudolph. We will discuss this later."

"Very well, my lord." Snapping his heals together, Rudolph exited the room.

Kaiser signaled the guard behind Edward.

The arms holding him vanished. Edward stood motionless, gaze shifting to Harkness. He felt lost and too weak to be angry at the man.

"Give him your note book, Ed. It's not worth it." Jack fixed him with a blue-eyed stare. There was a flash of compassion and worry there that Edward hadn't expected.

Unable to think of anything else, Edward took a step painfully aware his legs wobbled. "I don't have it." He said, "Al does." With an effort, he crossed over to the boy's side and knelt down beside him.

Dark ugly bruises formed on Al's cheeks and blood trickled out of his mouth and nose. He was a battered mess. Large dark gold eyes blinked up painfully at him. "Brother, don't."

"I have too Al, I'm sorry." Touching the boy's face, Edward held in his grief driven rage. He never wanted to see Alphonse hurt. Unfortunately with his illness, and lack of power, he was unable to stop it.

Edward Elric felt his own hope dwindle. "It's ok, Al, it's ok…" He stroked the boy's head and kissed his bloodied brow. "I'm proud of you, little brother. Under the circumstances, I could have done no better." He took the book from Alphonse's pocket and stood.

He hoped that Alphonse would understand. "You won't get away with this, Kaiser." Edward said evenly. He dropped the book on Kaiser's desk. "I promise."

"Promise all you will, Herr Elric, but remember your place." Kaiser lifted the book and smiled. "Do not worry, you will have it back by this evening." He flipped though the pages slowly, displeasure flickering over his narrowed brow. "What is this? Do you think I am a fool?"

Edward offered a weak mischievous smile. "You wanted my notes, you said nothing about translating them."

Kaiser went to object, than stayed his tongue. Amusement twitched into a slight smile. "I will let your brashness pass this time, for I was a fool, Herr Elric. But you will stay here, and translate what I want. Do you understand?"

Edward inhaled. "Ja, I understand you will torture Alphonse if I disagree." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Jack, gently lifting Alphonse into his arms. The boy peered worriedly at him. "It is all right, Alphonse. Herr Harkness and Noa will take care of you. "

"Good, " Kaiser gestured to a chair beside his desk. "Than have a seat. We have work to do!"


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 12

Breaking point

Alphonse

Al didn't know when he lost consciousness, only that one moment he was swimming in pain, watching his brother seat himself at the devil's desk, and the next, he was blinking at the red velvet canopy of his bed.

Some time must have passed. The room was dark, and Alphonse heard the warm crackle of the fireplace. Noa smiled down at him, dark features streaked with tears, but filled with relief. "Are you all right, Alphonse?"

Was he all right? He should have been feeling more pain, but he felt an alien floating sensation that blurred his thoughts with feelings of detachment. He was numb, and the world shifted around him in a blur of color, blinding his mind with tingles of pleasure.

He had been beaten, Edward was breaking, and they were prisoners but he oddly didn't care.

Alphonse licked his lips, unable to remember details of the day, only that he must have been drugged and now was coming off the effects enough to be aware of himself. "Brother?"

Noa brushed his bangs from his brow. "With the Kaiser's Doctor."

"Doctor?" Alphonse asked. It was difficult to focus enough to understand her. The boy heaved a breath, rolling his head. A gray lump jumped on to the bed, and bounded to him. It purred shoving it's wet pink nose into his eye.

"Hello, Einstein." With an effort, he lifted his good hand and stroked the fine grey fur. It was soft and he wanted to get lost in its warmth. Beneath his fingers and cat arched its back and nuzzled him.

"Yes, Kaiser sent him. He checked you over and gave you some opium to ease the pain." Noa explained. Her hand dropped away and she poured a glass of water. Carefully, she nudged her free hand underneath his neck and back, and helped him to sit up. She pressed the glass to his

lips. "You need to drink something, before you get dehydrated."

Clumsily, Al curled his good hand around the glass and tilted it. The liquid was cool and felt good in his mouth, so he gulped it down thirstily. "Opium. No wonder my mind isn't clear." He collapsed back, head pressing into the pillow. "Who is this doctor?"

Noa shrugged. "I don't know. Jack doesn't like him though. Before he arrived, Jack had your injuries all bound. He called the man a moraless fool, and for Jack to say that, I can only imagine what kind of person Doctor Schilling is."

Schilling the name was familiar. "A very well known medical Scientist I think." Alphonse tried to recall more, but his mind was foggy at best. He closed his eyes, wishing he could slide back into sleep, but knew it was best to puzzle things out and clear his head. "I think he

did research on tropical diseases." He wasn't sure, but he thought the name came from one of the journals he had studied on diseases of the blood. He associated Schilling's name with malaria.

Not leukemia, so why was he here? Was he a friend of Kaiser? The boy forced his eyes open and looked around the room. It was empty save for Noa and himself. "Where is Jack now?"

Noa offered a faint little smile. "I am sure he is home, now, but he was reluctant to leave. If you ask me, he was worried about you. He might even like you, Alphonse."

He felt prickling from his bandages as he sat up and propped his pillows behind him. It was an effort, but the motion helped him to focus some. He was already feeling a little better but was aware of a dull ache in his arm and all over his body. He glanced down at himself seeing he was dressed in an open night-shirt and that his chest was

bound rather tightly with white bandages. Rudolph's strikes broke ribs. "Am I wrong to trust him?" Al asked the gypsy. He vaguely recalled Jack had saved him from a real beating.

The woman sighed, and reached over to the bed stand where there was an ice pack. She took it in her hands and pressed it to Al's brow. "No. If it means anything to you, Al, I feel he wants to help. Other than that, I am not sure. My instincts say he has an agenda as well as a heart."

Alphonse considered her words. Noa's psychic ability let her read people rather well and according to Edward, she could read minds if she was allowed near to her subject when they slept. He proved this with several tests the week before his collapse. But they hadn't a chance for her to get to Jack while he slept, so her instincts could easily be just speculative.

The boy met the woman's gaze. Her eyes were deep and filled with hurt, but with that hurt was a dept of wisdom and understanding he could never fully comprehend. "What does your heart say? Am I wasting my time trying to get him to come around? Do you think he'd help us if I

asked?"

She moved the icepack to his cheek and looked away, deep in thought. "You trust me after everything I have done?"

Alphonse nodded. "You did it to help Edward, Noa. And yes, I do. I know you have a gift, and that gift is very special, like you are. " He took the ice pack from her hands and moved it to his other cheek. The movement was awkward with his right arm dangling limply in a

sling, but he managed. He missed having his right arm.

Noa blushed. "Alphonse, you are too kind. I don't deserve it."

"Edward would say the same thing." Al smiled. "Please let me be the judge, Noa. I am the one on the outside."

Tears filled her eyes and she wiped them away with a lace hanky from her skirt's pocket. "Very well, Alphonse. No, you are not wasting your time. I believe, even though he has his own motives being here, he can help us."

Einstein bumped his side as if in agreement with Noa. Alphonse sighed. It appeared the kitten was trying to give his two cents about the security guard as well. Alphonse dropped the icepack and lifted the kitten so their noses touched. Einstein swiped at his bangs. "Hump, I

didn't ask you, Einstein, I know for a fact you can't think clearly on the matter. After all, he did save your life…"

Gathering the icepack from the pillow, where it had fallen, Noa offered a faint smile. "As he did yours, Alphonse."

He couldn't deny it. Alphonse placed the kitten on to his lap. "Yes, I'm not very impartial on the matter. And I'm sure brother has told you about my people sense."

Noa repressed a giggle. "He used obscenities to describe it." She explained, than become serious. "But I think Edward has become very cynical in his lifetime; so cynical, he can't see the goodness in others if he decides he dislikes them."

To Edward, Jack had a lot to prove, Alphonse thought. He shivered, and pulled his blankets around his waist. Was that why Noa was so unforgiving of herself? She was worried about what Edward thought? "He likes you Noa, he really does. I'm sure he has already forgiven you."

She sniffled. "Yes, I suppose I'm being silly. He forgave Alphons, when he betrayed him, but I think that is because he loved him. I don't think I have that grace, so yes I am frightened."

Alphonse put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. "I think you underestimate his feelings for you, Noa. He does love you. Edward just doesn't know how to say it. So he shows it, by protecting you. My brother is a very straightforward man, but he's crippled in the emotional intelligence department. Give it time. You'll see."

Leaning forward, Noa kissed his nose, and came to a stand. "I don't need him to tell me, Alphonse. It is not his way. But I appreciate your words. You're very special too. Now I think you should rest, and I shall get you some broth, ok?"

It was hard to see himself as special. In the past, he made mistakes; grave ones. With a weak half smile Alphonse Elric nodded. "Deal."

&&&

Edward

"Opium is addictive. " Edward Elric announced, meeting Dr. Schilling's gaze with cool anger. He was feeling ill that day that day and was not in the mood for a check up, but had little choice in the matter. As a result, he decided to confront the man on his approach to his and Alphonse's conditions. "Neither of us should be on it." Edward

explained sitting on the couch, shirt opened while doctor Schilling listened to his heart with his stethoscope.

"Keep still and quiet, young man." Schilling scolded. "I can not hear." He moved the cold microphone of the stethoscope across Edward's chest, listening carefully, then asked Edward to breath.

Resigned, Edward decided not to argue the matter until the man was finished. After all, the data collected would be useful to treating his condition: if he could convince Schilling to give him the data.

The exam continued another ten minutes, as Schilling asked Edward to take off his shirt, and listened to his back, checking Edward's lungs. "You are short of breath." He remarked. "And your heart rate is accelerated."

"I watched my brother get beaten yesterday, what the hell do you expect?!" Edward snapped. He studied the coffee table. Books and papers were scattered all over its surface. It reminded him how he was trying to continue his research. Yet it seemed useless. He was running

out of time, and he would have to give up his research if they were to escape.

Without asking, Schilling wrapped a cuff about his arm and pumped full of air. "Your blood pressure is up as well. You must take better care of yourself, Edward."

What a fucking hypocrite. "Sure." Kaiser assigned him Dr. Schilling 24 hours ago and he hated the man. Dressing, Edward glanced across the room and at the golden flames dancing in the fireplace next to his desk.

Not far away Alphonse lay in bed, twitching in an opium-induced slumber. Dr. Schilling had ordered the boy two daily doses of opium to dull his discomfort. It was against Edward's better judgment; he suspected ulterior motives, but Schilling didn't care about his opinions. He just followed the Kaiser's orders.

"IS there anything else, Herr Schilling?"

Schilling looked up from his equipment and nodded. "I have studied the components of your tonic, young Elric, and it seems a reasonable solution for your condition, but it is best for you that I prescribe injections of a variant of the material. It may help your stomach problems and at the same time, deliver the solution straight to the blood." The older man placed his blood pressure gauge and stethoscope

in his medical bag. He was in his fifties, with salt and pepper hair and a sharp beard. His features were hawkish, and failed to show any real concern for either Edward or Al. "If you fail to have any results, than I suggest radium injections. I understand they are doing some experiments with it. You strike me as a man who does not mind

taking risks, if your cell count does not improve in a few weeks, I will prescribe it."

"As an experiment?" Why did he expect that? Radium injections were risky and only tested on lab animals. Edward shifted uncomfortably. He coughed, and felt his stomach twist uncomfortably. He didn't fancy becoming a test in experimental medicine. It was just a reminded him

of how hopeless his situation was. "And let me guess, my name will be in medical books along with yours…"

Schilling smiled. "You do not exist anymore, Herr Elric, you will just be another nameless subject in the name of medicine. Besides, as long as you have the cancer, what is there to lose?"

"It is different when I perform the experiment, but I will think about it." Edward heaved a breath, knitting his fingers together. "Until then, I assure you, the serum will work."

The man shrugged. "I will have the serum to you within the week, until then use the tonic and a alkaloid solution to ward off the nausea."

Mouth twitching, Edward brushed his bangs from his face. Schilling had no reason to kill him. Kaiser hired the physician to keep him alive. Still he didn't trust the man. He met Schilling's gaze with scrutiny. "You will of course, provide the ingredients to your serum?

"If that is what you wish."

"Then I will consent to it. As for the opium, I refuse to use it."

The German lifted a curious brow. Evidently, he wasn't use to the blatant disobedience of his orders. "It is necessary. It will help your pain as well as help you to relax. Kaiser says you are uncooperative and loose tempered and that is not good for your cancer." Schilling closed his bag.

"You want to make us fucking addicts." With an effort, Edward came to his feet, and waved an angry finger at Schilling. "I've lived with pain all my life. I didn't ask for a Doctor, or your goddamned drugs!"

Schilling frowned, and shook his head. "You are not a physician, Edward, Opium and morphine are used for the treatment of cancer." He opened his suit jacket and removed a slender case from a pocket in the lining. "You are foolish to question my orders. I know my field."

"And Al?" Edward grit his teeth together. "He's not that

uncomfortable. Yet, you gave him…."

"To sleep, Edward." Schilling replied in a condescending voice. "If you have not noticed, your brother is under a great deal of strain and the Kaiser wishes for him to be calm."

"Complacent, you mean." Edward snapped. It annoyed him. Who did Schilling think he was fooling? Edward Elric was a goddamned Alchemist; he knew how chemicals affected the body. Disgusted, Edward pointed to the door. "I'm not an idiot, don't treat me like one!"

"I see you insist on making this difficult." His free hand dropped on to Edward's shoulder, and pressed down. Weak as he was, Edward wobbled, than collapsed on to the couch. "You are dying, Edward Elric. You need me, and you will not get rid of me. I only take orders from

Kaiser. Mark my words, your arrogance will be reported."

And Al would be beaten, or kept on opium. Edward's heart thudded heavily against his chest. How could he play games with his brother's life? Hadn't he learned earlier to control his temper? "I can't work drugged." Edward explained through gritted teeth. "I don't need to spend my last few days in a stupor. How am I to work? Ask the Kaiser that!"

He considered Edward's words, and returned the case to his pocket. "Very well. I suppose if you insist on being a masochist, who am I to argue?"

"Damn right. Now get the hell out of here." Edward gripped the cushions under him and stood up once more. His human leg felt like rubber and his automail was so heavy he could barely balance himself. Weakness and the anguish of aching muscles swept over him, but sheer determination kept him up. Edward impatiently gestured to the door, hoping the physician got the message. But he seriously doubted it. Men like Schilling were arrogant and didn't like to be told how to do their job. Yet neither did Edward Elric.

The German Doctor regarded him with mild amusement before checking on Alphonse, and leaving.

The door behind him swung close with a quiet thud. Silence, save for the whisper of hissing flames in the fireplace followed.

Edward Elric flipped him the finger, and sank down to the couch. "Hump, and Kaiser thinks I have a difficult temperament, yet he employs arrogant bastards like that! At least I've earned my arrogance, Alphonse!"

The boy in the bed made no response.

Huffing, Edward Elric folded his arms. Ill or not, they had to escape and do it soon, before it was too late. "Ahh bloody hell, God must really hate me."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter13

The Philosopher's Stone

Alphonse

Brother sat body hunched over a book at his desk. For most of the day, Edward lay in bed but insisted that afternoon, he was well enough to do some research.

He wasn't well enough. Edward had spent the previous night vomiting and complaining about his body aching. Yet, Alphonse had given up arguing with him.

Rather, he only shrugged, and climbed his own way out of bed. The room tilted and twisted with colors. Al was forced to lean into the bedpost for a moment until the lightheadedness passed. He hadn't been out of bed for three days and his legs were very weak, but determination drove him to remain standing.

Edward looked over to him, features filled with concern. Carefully, the elder boy went to stand. Alphonse shook his head, breath catching in his throat. "Brother, no, I will be fine. The medication has me dizzy, but I will be all right."

"You better be." Edward grumbled. "Or a few heads will roll."

"The last time you tried to make heads roll, brother, I got beaten, so I suggest you find a better strategy." With careful, pain-filled steps, he joined his brother at his desk next to the fireplace.

Edward was reading on mystical places, searching for a possible rift. He had gathered information on many places ranging from Egypt to Stonehenge. Of course, none of them could be certain if any of those places were of use to them. They'd have to visit them first and run tests. But Alphonse highly doubted Kaiser would allow them to leave. "Have you gathered any research on hauntings?" Alphonse asked, studying the scattered books, research articles, newspaper clippings and magazines littering his brother's desk.

Edward dug though the pile and pulled out a clipping from the Society of Psychical Research. "Everything from the Flying Dutchman to the Tower of London." He dropped it on to the clutter and sagged down into his chair. "I don't know, Al." He sighed. "Once we find the rift, what are we going to do? How are we going to tap it?"

Weakly smiling, Alphonse considered the question and answered with the only solution he could think of. "With the array Frau Ekhert used." He reached down and flipped open Edward's notebook and leafed through it.

Edward took off his spectacles, and cleaned them with a hanky he kept in his breast pocket. "You think their array is for opening dimensional rifts? This isn't magic, Al; I would think we need a machine here. The Thule society only succeeded in opening the portal because one existed in our world. One that you opened at the same time."

Alphonse shook his head. "In that sense, what we do is MAGIC, Brother." He flipped the book around and pointed to the array. "Think of it as a formula to tap non-Euclidean space. See these symbols? With a powerful psychic mind like Noa's, we can redirect the forces of the rift, using these mathematical equations." Grabbing a pencil, he jotted down another array and swiftly added various equations and symbols representing non-Euclidean math. "Noa is our machine to open the power, the array is our way of containing and tapping it."

Edward shook his head. "The principles are all different here, Al."

"But we are not, Edward!" Alphonse placed his hand on his brother's shoulder and turned him around. He stared deep into Edward's eyes. How could he explain what he had done in the lab? The very truth hiding behind his buried memories of the gateway. The horror he didn't want to face, but had to in order to save Edward. "Redwater, brother. If what you think is true, than that power still exists inside of you. We've both channeled the power of the philosopher's stone; if I am right, both you and I are batteries for such power and can store it for use." Did he dare to continue? Already he felt shaky, the memories of the gateway were worming their way into his mind, guiding his words with the truth.

The truth frightened him, yet he had to face it. The Gateway had changed him, and it had changed Edward. The boy heaved a breath, seeing his brother's lips tremble and denial fill his golden gaze. "What are you saying Al? That you're still a philosopher's stone and that I am becoming one or was made into one?" he placed his glasses back on and shook his head. "It doesn't fit with Dr. Marcoh's research, or what we know about making the stones."

Huffing, Edward frowned. "I saw my blood samples, they show no similarity to the redwater samples I have examined.

"It is metaphysical, brother." Alphonse sighed; he bit his lip, trying to understand the images and thoughts spinning in his mind. It still terrified and repulsed him, but he stood fast, knowing if he ran from it, Edward was doomed to die.

Alphonse pointed to the array he had drawn. "Einstein, Brother. The theory of relativity, energy cannot be created or destroyed here right? Just changed in form. That is what the gateway does. Through its connection to this world, it takes souls and changes their form into Alchemical energy. In our world, equivalent exchange was the definitive rule guiding energy. Except with Alchemy we used up the energy, destroying it with use. Yet we found out if you passed though the gate, we could bypass the properties of Equivalent Exchange and if I am right, we are required to obey the laws of relativity." He paused for a breath; dimly aware his brother was studying him with curiosity. "Scar completed the philosopher's stone when he sealed it to my soul and armor, right? I USED the philosopher's stone to heal and give your arm back. In turn, you used your power from the redwater, and the energy I gave you from the philosopher's stone to bring my body back, which was a PART of the gate and connected to this world. The Energy

of the stone was NEVER used up. It was changed in form. MY BODY." The revelation made him tremble. Alphonse looked down, scanning his useless arm and the bruises poking out from the bandages around his chest. Was it possible? Was that why he was so frightened? The truth he was trying to face in the lab was unspeakable, but at the same time their salvation. No, being the philosopher's stone was frightening but not terrifying.

He strained his thoughts, trying to push though the blackness of the horror veiling his mind. Yes, he was still the philosopher's stone, just an empty one waiting for power to convert. "My body brother, is a Philosopher's stone in the same way Scar's arm was. It's still a body, just metaphysically different."

In many ways he was just like the gateway. He wanted to run, to vomit and cry, sickened, thrilled, and frightened all at the same time. There was something else though, something he could not pull from the abyss of horror gripping his soul. Alphonse shivered and stared at Edward, waiting for a reaction.

"Einstein." Edward repeated. He rubbed his chin, looking across the room. "All right. So what about me? Obviously it was the redwater that gave me my leukemia. Are you suggesting passing though the gate transformed the remaining energy of the stone that still existed in me into an incomplete stone? But we can't use the power here because it needs to charge up with souls from the gate."

"Or energy from a rift, brother." Alphonse said. "But if you are incomplete, you will be unstable. That's why you are dying."

"That's an interesting theory." Edward blinked towards the fireplace, thoughtful. He was paler and distant. "I hope you are wrong. I have my own theories about the gate, you know. Why we're here and why am I ill." The elder boy took his notebook in hand and absently looked through it. "It's alive Al, we both know that. Kaiser's not that far off, calling it a devil." His brow narrowed and he looked to the door.

Alphonse followed his gaze. The knob twisted and Noa entered the room. Humming, the woman strolled to the bed stand holding a jug from the kitchen, and poured out two glasses. It was a gentle tune that reminded Alphonse of his mother. Just for a moment, the ugly business of the gateway and what he had become seemed very far away. Wearily, the boy smiled. "You sound like an angel."

Noa blushed. "You're too kind." She looked at Edward, lifting a glass and carrying it over. "Edward, you should be in bed."

Snatching the water, the elder boy shook his head. "I am sick of dying. I have to do something about it."

Noa's looked sympathetic. She touched his hand gently and squeezed. "What about trusting Alphonse? He is a capable Alchemist."

"Noa is right, brother." Alphonse said. "You've done some research. Why don't you rest now."

Edward folded his arms stubbornly. "No, not after what you've told me…" He looked over to Noa, gaze darkening. "Noa. You understand I am trusting you. Say NOTHING to Kaiser. You saw what he did to Alphonse."

She nodded, tears filling her eyes. "I know he only wishes to use you." Her hand timidly drifted up and down his arm. "Edward, I can't bare to see either of you harmed. Please forgive me, I only told them you were ill because I feared for your life. He had doctors that could help you."

Alphonse sighed. He saw his brother's features soften as Noa spoke. Alphonse remembered the same expression on Edward's face when he looked at Winry or mentioned AlfonsHeidrich. Yes, Edward Elric more than liked Noa and he was unable to say to her it like everyone one he loved in his life. "Brother."

Edward took Noa by the arms and looked her deep in the eye. "Noa, Alphonse has a theory that makes sense to me, but it means we might have a way to get the power to free ourselves. Do you understand? You can help us find these rifts with your mind…"

She nodded uneasily.

"But Brother, there might be another way." Alphonse ventured. "Don't you understand, we could open the gateway…"

"Never!" Edward turned on him, eyes filling with anger. "It's alive Alphonse! Think damn it! We're here, where it gets its power! That thing will take your fucking soul! If we are Philosopher stones, it is just waiting to incorporate US into it! Why do you think it let us crossover?" He grabbed the boy, desperation filling his large frightened gaze "Because it hungers for power and perhaps our souls will help it grow!"

"I realize that, brother. But you are dying…" Alphonse felt a lump catch in his throat. His gut was twisting and the paralyzing fright started to seep it way into his heart.

Edward pulled him close by his open nightshirt so they were nose to nose. Pain flashed down Alponse's injured torso, and up his arm. "Than I will die, it is better than all of you returning to that monster. Promise me, you won't consider touching the gate's power…"

The boy swallowed. He didn't want to make any promises and he wasn't about to let Edward die. An overwhelming sense of loss swept him. Alphonse felt tears filling his eyes. The array in the lab, his sudden understanding of what he needed to do to save Edward: it was inevitable; he'd ultimately betray his brother to save him.

But before he could say anything, the door swung open and Jack entered, singing something about jingling bells. Cheerful, the man strolled across the room, carrying a large satchel that he dumped unceremoniously on the couch. Digging in it, he pulled out what looked like the top of a small pine tree and stand.

"I thought I told you to knock!" Edward snapped, releasing Alphonse. "No one gave you permission to just waltz in here like you bloody well own the fucking place!"

"Not today, Edward, my old man! Today is special!" Jack announced. He plopped the tree and stand on the coffee table and fished out several tiny glass bulbs that he had wrapped in newspaper.

Noa, put her hand over her mouth and gave a little laugh. She dropped it on Edward's shoulder. "I almost forgot it was a holiday today. It's Christmas."

Jack snapped his fingers, cheerfully. "Right she is! And I've come baring gifts, if you all don't mind, that is. After the other day, I think you kids deserve something special!"

Einstein lifted his lazy head from his paws and stared at Jack from the couch. The kitten yawned, and stood. His body stretched out in an attempt to shake off sleep-ridden limbs.

"Christmas?" Edward side glanced Alphonse who shrugged not understanding. Edward's face became melancholy. "Yes, Alfonsand I celebrated it last year with father."

It must have been wonderful to celebrate anything with their father. Alphonse studied his brother, trying to comprehend what the older boy was feeling. He was sad, and missed their father, Alphonse decided. "Brother, what is Christmas?"

"A religious fest." Edward explained. "Celebrating the birth of a man who the people here believe is God."

"Was he?" Alphonse asked, curious. "Or was he a fake like father Cornello?"

Edward shrugged. "I can't say, Al. I don't have any data."

Placing the bulbs on the tree Jack snorted. "The point of Christmas is being with family, giving gifts and having a good time. Think of it as one hell of a 24 hour excuse to party…" He paused gaze darting to the faces in the room. "I'm not a religious guy."

Alphonse understood holidays. They had them in Rizenbool. Growing up, he recalled his family and the Rockbells sharing in holiday dinners and exchanging gifts. It made him feel warm inside. Maybe they did need something special to distract them from being prisoners. Uneasily, he inhaled, feeling the pull of his aching ribs. The pain was growing by the moment.

Edward shrugged. "Neither am I." The alchemist sank down into his chair and leaned his cheek into the palm of his hand. His fingers touched the folding arm of his glasses and tilted the frames up. "Why are you doing this?"

Their argument must have exhausted him. Alphonse detected weariness in his voice. The boy patted his brother's shoulder. "Does it matter, brother? Can't we try and be happy for once? I think Jack means well. He wouldn't have risked his job and saved me if he didn't."

"Alphonse, you don't need to defend me. Edward is right to be suspicious." Jack removed a large sack from the bag and handed it to a startled Noa. "Do you know how to cook a goose?"

She blinked and hefted the bag uncomfortably. "With some help. I think we have everything we need in the kitchen."

The security guard beamed. He emptied the bag. Several colorfully wrapped presents tumbled out with canned goods, some fresh vegetables, fruit and three loaves of bread. "Great! Now, Al, you help Noa, Ed, you get into bed, and I'll take care of the presents and make sure the guys out in the hall are drunker than skunks. It's gona be a hell of a party tonight, I promise."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 14

Plans

Edward

"So, it's the security guard's job to give Al his opium and so far they've been like clock work. What about you?" Edward asked, staring at Jack Harkness as he helped Noa clear the end table of dishes.

"I'm not planning on giving him it, not unless he asks." Jack replied. "Are you asking Al?"

"The pain isn't that bad." Alphonse sat on the couch with Einstein cuddled up on his lap. Painfully, he stroked the animal with a smile brightening his features. He was happy, and Edward wondered how he managed it. At times, he admired his brother's ability to grasp of strings and hold their precious ends as if they were his lifeline. An ability, Edward himself had forgotten. It was this damned place, and the gate that had done it, he thought. Or perhaps it was seeing his father's death. With the old bastard alive, there was always the hope that someday, they'd be a family.

Even if, Edward himself was too angry at the old man to admit it. Their time together in this world made Edward realize how much he really wanted to be a child again. Yet, at the time, he was unable to see it.

Too late, he saw it all too late and now was determined to give Al the dream because the boy was always grasping those precious few moments to be a child when they showed.

He pressed his head into the back of the tall lounge chair they had pulled up to the end table and studied Jack, realizing his brother looked at the man as an opportunity to be childish.

Why couldn't Al feel that way with Edward? Why did Al feel he had to be grown up and responsible around him? "What about your orders, Jack?"

Jack shrugged. "I only obey my orders when they make sense, Ed and right now, Kaiser doesn't make sense."

Holding a stack of dishes, Noa studied Jack. "He stopped making sense to you a while ago, didn't he?"

"You could say that." Jack replied, he walked toward the door. "Al, can you get the door, the lady and I have to get to the kitchen."

The boy placed Einstein on his shoulders and jumped to his feet. Stiffly he jogged to the door and held it open. No other guards stood there. After encouraging a little pre-Christmas celebration with a bottle of liquor Jack dismissed them to celebrate Christmas with their families.

Both Jack and Noa hauled the plates out of the room, leaving Edward and Al to themselves.

Edward studied Al. The thirteen year old walked over and sat himself on the couch, curiously staring the decorated tree and packages under it. "He got us gifts, Edward. It seems each of us has two presents, even Einstein."

Edward blinked, what in god's name would Jack get him? He picked up the two packages with his name and held them in his hands. "Books, he got me books."

"Brother!" Alphonse snatched them away, and hurriedly placed the under the tree. "You'll spoil the surprise!"

"Surprises could kill us right now!" Edward folded his arms stubbornly, refusing to give into the pangs of childishness sweeping him. Jack had picked up two books. He had no reason to buy presents for Edward for Edward had been nothing but difficult to him.

So why buy him presents? Jack wanted their trust, and was assuming they we're children, that's why. Then where did the man stand? What did he want from them if he wasn't spying for the Kaiser? Or was he? Not giving Alphonse the opium confused Edward. Over the last few months, Jack was trying to reach the boy, and get his trust, and had the ability to sucker Al into doing what he wanted.

Yet, he wasn't.

Curled up on Alphonse's shoulders, Einstein pawed at the boy's hair. The boy lifted a hand and absently pet him. "Brother, you look a little better today. I saw you smile at dinner."

Did he smile? He couldn't have, Edward has no intention of smiling that day. Not at all. "I did?" He asked, "I must have slipped. That the last thing I want to do is encourage him." He crossed his arms against the back of his neck and closed his eyes.

"I think it is a good thing. When you are happy, you can heal faster, and you need to heal, Brother." There was a hint of pleading in Alphonse's voice.

Edward cracked open an eye, and slumped in his chair, sighing. "I guess this helped me forget, a little of where we are."

"So did I." Alphonse looked away, attention to the small barred window. "I wanted to ask you, why did you accuse Kaiser of poisoning you?"

Edward looked over his shoulder to the open door. He heard no one in the hall. It was possible Jack was helping Noa clean and put away the dishes, trying to work on her sense of trust, like ha had done Al. "Because some one was."

"How do you know?" Al leaned his elbows on his knees. "Edward… What aren't you telling me?"

"I'm not telling you, because it is only a hunch, and in light of your theory, which is very logical, it could be nothing at all, just paranoia on my part." Edward rolled up his sleeves, noting there was a dot of gravy smearing the cuff of his shirt. "Stepping in the redwater was enough to boost my power. It affected my soul and I stood in it quite a while. Yes, I was splashed with it and the results are deadly, we saw what it did to me when I just inhaled its fumes." Edward heaved a breath. "In Xenotime it took years before it really started making people ill. It is a slow death, Al. This is all happening to fast."

"If my theory is true, it will happen as fast as it takes a stone to degrade." Alphonse rubbed his arms.

"When they degraded, Al, it was messy, not Leukemia." Edward pressed his head into the soft cushions of the chair. Strangely, dinner had not bothered his stomach and he felt a tad stronger than he had all week. Perhaps what he needed was a good meal, untainted by Envy… Well, he could theorize, he had only a dream and no solid proof of it. "Al, when Rudolph beat you, just for a moment, I saw him. Envy."

Al's gaze flared wide and filled with fear. "Envy?" The boy's hand began to tremble forcing him sink his fingers into Einstein's coat to still them. "Yes, his strikes were unusually powerful He broke four of my ribs and nearly punctured a lung. Why didn't he finish me then? Why did he allow Jack to stop him?"

"Because he wants something and Kaiser can't know who he is." Edward explained. He dropped a hand on Alphonse's shoulder. What does he want to do more than anything? Destroy father and anyone who shares his blood. What a better way to avenge his anger than to turn the old man's children into something he can simple consume and use? Something that will give him his immortality back and make him powerful in a world were such powers are not allowed?"

Al twitched. "I suppose."

There were the sounds of footfalls in the hall, so Edward leaned close to his brother and whispered. "Or wait, I know, he is making sure what the Gate started is finished. When the Thule scarified him, he became bound to it and is now its puppet and as long as the damned thing gives him what he wants, the bastard doesn't care."

Alphonse sank back into the couch, wrapping his arms about himself, horror struck. "Brother, he took our father, why can't that satisfy his hatred for our family?"

Edward didn't answer, he wanted to but, Jack and Noa came into the room, laughing. "You never mentioned you brought a Phonograph, Herr Harkness, please play it tonight! I would love to dance!" Noa was saying. She twirled, long skirts flaring out with the liquid movements of her ethereal body.

Unable to look away, Edward watched, and wondered what it would be like to dance with her again. It was nice to see her humming and spinning, it reminded him of a ballerina he had seen at the theater once with Alphons, in Munich. It was a piety Alfonshad not seen Noa dance. He certainly would have loved it. The sickly blond engineer was often caught up in his work, but appreciated the arts, and enjoying a good logger with friends and folk music.

A pang of emptiness filled Edward and he rubbed his arms. When he died, would Alfonsbe there to take him to the gate?

"Maybe Edward would take the first dance with me?" Noa leaned over him, finger touching his nose. "Edward? You are far away right now, is everything all right?"

Startled, Edward gave a stiff laugh, and a large toothy grin. "Ahh of course I'm fine! I was just thinking that's all!"

"A dangerous profession, when you are concerned, Ed." Jack sat down on the couch, next to Alphonse. He plopped a box on the table and opened it. Within its velvet interior was a heavy silver arm and needle with a turntable and crank. He removed an enamel record from a pocket in the lid and gently placed it on the turntable. "I brought just the music for this occasion." He said. "Do you guys like Jazz? None of this Dada crap they've been doing in Paris, but real American ragtime with a Christmas bent!" He inserted the crank in the keyhole on the side of the portable player and turned it. The record began to spin and when he placed the head of the arm on it, tinny perky sounds of ragtime Jazz filled the room. It was cheerful and quick paced. On the couch, Al taped his foot.

Jack reached out and removed the presents from the tree and handed them out. "I'm a horrible wrapper."

"We don't have gifts for you, Jack." Alphonse whispered, slowly drawing out of his ball on the couch. Einstein jumped down from his shoulder and rubbed his back against the boy's sling.

Jack winked at the boy. "Just get well, Al and punch Rudolf in the nose for me, ok? I hear you have a mean right hook."

Edward fingered the gifts in his hand awkwardly. "Yes, and I've never beaten him either, and I am no slouch." His automail hand touched Al's shoulder and squeezed it. "When I am well, I promise to beat the crap out of you…"

Alphonse's haunted gaze brightened. "You wish."

Noa giggled, sitting on the arm of Edward's chair. She ran her fingers along the wrapping paper and looked to Jack. "You didn't need to buy us anything, we have everything we need here…"

Her voice caught and she looked down, tears filling her eyes. Edward's anger flickered. Noa needed freedom, not fancy clothing, not a place, not jewelry, she needed to roam about the world, dancing like the free spirit she was.

"Open the gift, Noa." Edward said gently. She tore away the paper slowly, making sure she had just popped the adhesive without doing too much damage to the colorful paper.

Her features brightened, as she removed what looked like a set of finger symbols. "For dancing, Jack?" She blushed looking up though her long dark bangs. "Why thank you."

"The other one, I looked all over Bavaria for it." Jack said. "It's hand crafted, and I have no idea if you know how to use one."

With a shy smiled she opened the next package and dug into the box. In it was a wooden hallow box with strings and metal keys and abalone inlay, an Autoharp. She gave a gasp, hand going to her mouth. "Oh dear lord, Jack you shouldn't have!" 

"So let me guess." Edward said, feeling a pang of annoyance. He glanced up to Jack very suspicious now. 'You're a little wealthy, right? That's an expensive gift."

Jack shrugged. "I like hearing Noa sing. Music heals the soul Edward."

"Yes, and I have not sung lately." Noa replied. She stood up and shyly took the guards hand and squeezed it. "Yes I do play and thank you, I will have to think of music now, Jack."

"Please play something tonight!" Alphonse begged. "You're voice reminds me of Mothers, doesn't it Edward."

He had forgotten his mother's voice. Edward gave a weak smile. "Why don't you open Einstein's and your gifts, Al."?

The boy lifted the small box and poked the kitten on his lap. "Look at this, Einstein, a gift for you!" The animal lazily sniffed the box, and purred head rubbing against Alphonse's fingers as he unwrapped the box. It was a can of sardines. The other was a knitted ball, filled with catnip.

They spent the next few minuets, watching the kitten chop down little fishes and roll around the floor clawing and chewing on his ball.

Alphonse was delighted, laughing and smiling as if he hadn't a care in the world. It made Edward wonder what he would do if Edward died? Would he stay with Noa? How could she help him adjust to a world where their science didn't exist? Would Alphonse even attempt to survive or would he kill himself? He forced his thoughts away, when Noa reminded all of them Alphonse and Edward had gifts.

"Lets unwrap them at the same time, brother." Alphonse announced, holding one package between his legs so he could get his fingers around the edges of the paper.

Edward sighed and fumbled at one of the packages in his hands. "All right, Al."

Together, they quickly demolished the wrapping paper on each of their presents. Edward, finished first, and started down at two books. One was on Houdini, the famous escape artist and mentalist debunker. And the other was on Temporal and Spatial dynamics in relations to Non-Euclidian Formulas and Applications.

"Eh?" The alchemist flipped open the book and stared at the slick pages. It was like nothing he had ever seen. It was piled with information on theories of temporal manipulation and dimensional space. It was advanced, and like nothing any scientist in the 1920s had calculated. Alchemists like his father, or even Izumi, may have understood such theories, because they had looked into the gate, but as far as Edward knew, no such book existed in this world.

"There is an interesting bit on dimensional rifts there." Jack explained. "I thought you'd be entertained by it. "

Edward met his gaze. Those cold blue eyes were kind, yet something else hid there. "Where did you get this?"

Jack shrugged and rubbed the back of his head. "Ah, someplace. I travel a lot kid."

Outside they could hear the wind howling and the rustle of pines. It mush have been cold, Edward felt a draft in the room and shivered. He had forgotten his blanket. To his surprise, Noa grabbed the blanket from the couch and dropped it over his lap. "A thank you might be polite, Edward."

Jack looked toward Noa, "That's ok. I know he likes it."

Edward didn't want to admit it but the book was something he could loose himself in for hours. It had far more information he could wish for on the given topic and it was possible the material would actually be useful.

Across from him, Alphonse contently leafed though the two books he received. One was the Unabridged Memoirs of Charles Dickens and the other was a copy of H G Wells the Time Machine. The boy was amused, and excitedly flipped the pages of one of the books. "This one is about Dickens's experiences with Mentalism! It's research, Brother! Thank you Jack!"

Another useful item? Was Jack trying to tell them something? He was aware of their research, and he could not have chosen any of the books unless he understood the topics rather well. In fact, when it came to dimensional and temporal mechanics, he would have to know a great deal to find what Edward needed to continue pioneering the research he was conducting. So how, would a simple security guard know anything about rifts, in relation to mathematical formula and Alchemy?

Edward was drawn out of his thoughts by Jack. Smiling, the man pat Al on the head. "Knew you'd like that, and since you are into reading, I thought you'd like a little fiction to wet the appetite." He gestured to the Time Machine. "Why don't you open it up."

Excited, Alphonse flipped the cover of the book, and stared down at the crisp white title page. "It's autographed!" He announced. He lifted the books so Edward could see the messy scrawl covering the page. "Look brother, it says, To Alphonse Elric, fondest regards. I am pleased you enjoy my work. HG Wells Jan 7, 1924."

How did he manage to pull that off? Edward stared at Jack, fingers picking at the cover of his books. And wasn't the date off? Why would a man like Wells write the wrong date? Curious and eager for his own mystery, Edward opened the book on Houdini, and stared at the first page. Houdini was an escape artist…

Sure enough Jack had written in it. It said "To Edward, Houdini was always found of puzzles, and I suspect you are too, try this one…" There were three columns of numbers. "PS Sherlock Holmes would have enjoyed this one."

It was a coded message. Edward carefully closed the book, looking at the others as they laughed and quietly talked among themselves.

Jack made no move to acknowledge the books or what was in them, only that they were gifts, he thought, they'd see as useful.

Useful indeed. Edward Elric felt hope rise and a lump in his throat. He barely believed, or wanted to believe they'd have a chance to escape.

Was that what this was all about? He fingered the book, feeling its hard leather cover press against his fingers. How could they trust Jack? He worked with the Kaiser and could easily be a part of Envy's plans, where did he come from and where in god's name did he get a book that Edward knew could not have been written in this world….

Not now.

He heaved a breath, dimly aware Noa was singing.

He would have to wait until later, to talk with Alphonse. Right now the boy appeared wrapped up in forgetting their situation.

As for Jack, he was all to smug about all of this, like he was hiding some big secret that he couldn't wait to unveil Edward Elric was suddenly more paranoid than he had ever been in his life. Their lives were on the line and he had no idea what direction he needed to go in to help his family.

He'd have to trust someone he knew nothing about, and didn't like.

Well, that wasn't a first. His entire life was a risk, things hadn't changed. He watched Alphonse as he clumsily tried to join Noa, off key voice cracking with each octave. The boy would say trust Jack and trusting others wasn't easy for Ed. It was close to impossible for him, but he'd have to. He just hoped it wasn't to late.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 15

Cheating the Devil

"Are you sure, brother?" Alphonse asked, leaning over his brother's shoulder and looking down at the rows of numbers scrawled out in the title page.

Edward side glanced him adjusting his glasses. His eyes glinted. "Yes, he's a pompous ass, but a smart one," the young man explained. He studied the chart, and flipped through the pages. "Jack made a reference to Doyle's Sherlock Holmes; he knows I've read them and Doyle is of a particular interest in our work." He stopped at a page and tapped it. "Well, this of course proves he's been spying on us all along; but in any case, in one of the stories I've read Holmes solves a cipher -- a puzzle, similar to this one. Lets see, the first number is page" He flipped to the chart, muttering to himself "42, yes, here it is, page 42, the second number is paragraph so that would make it, second paragraph, and the last number is word, word number 12." He looked at Al. "9:OO pm. A time…"

A time; it could have meant anything. Jack did have a sense of humor, but it wasn't cruel… Alphonse felt a lump in his throat and tried to still the heavy beating of his heart. He was excited. So excited it didn't bother him Jack had been spying. If it was to help them, Alphonse reflected, it was a good thing, and he was sure Jack was out for their best interest. "Then it's true. The book is a clue. Houdini was an escape artist. Jack's going to help us escape…" Alphonse felt a flicker of hope. His fingers dug into Edward's heavy dark muted green sweater and squeezed the soft wool. "Brother. Than the other books are clues too."

Without a thought, Alphonse dashed across the room and seized his two books from his bed. Flipping open the Time Machine, he studied the title page and the autograph there. "This date is off, I'm sure Jack was trying to give us a date here. January 7, 1924, a little less than two weeks!" He plopped the book in front of Edward's nose. "I knew he wasn't like the others!"

Edward looked at him with disapproval wrinkling his brow. "I seem to recall you said that about Siren." Absorbed, he returned to his book, and quietly jotted down each word from Jack's puzzle. "From what I can see here, your date might be right. What book is that?"

Alphonse pointed to the title. "The Time Machine. Of course the future date fits with the theme of the book too."

"Of course, that's obvious." Edward offered Alphonse a big cheerful grin, and despite his pallor and thin features, he looked like the brother Alphonse remembered.

Edward quickly went from page to page, recording words and constructing the coded sentence. After a few moments, Edward pulled away. "9:00, passage, Al knows where, dress warm, pack light and bring serum." He looked at Alphonse questioningly. "Passage?"

"Yes, he caught me poking around that suit of armor in the hall. I found a switch; behind it is the way out," Alphonse replied. "I found it the day Kaiser had me beaten, so I hadn't gotten around to telling you about it. I'm sorry brother."

Nodding, light glinted off the glass of Edward's spectacles and he turned to face the boy. "You have been busy. You told me about the passages. I'm impressed Al."

Al felt his cheeks warm. It was nice to hear Edward compliment him. They had been so tense lately. "Than you trust me?"

"I've always trusted you. I know you are capable and are trying to take charge of the situation, I told you earlier I was proud of you, Al, and I mean it. I am."

It must have been difficult for Edward to admit it, Alphonse thought fondly. He watched his brother drop his pencil and closed the book. "As for Jack, it can't be this easy. He's up to something. I know he is and we're not prepared. I'm sure Envy's involved; without Alchemy, we can't fight him."

It would have been nice if Edward would just drop his dislike for Harkness. Alphonse glared at his brother, weary of his inability to Jack the benefit of the doubt. "Jack can't be working with Envy." Alphonse said firmly. He couldn't believe that, Jack wasn't the sort of man to even trust someone like Envy. He was practical and would see Envy was insane. "I don't think he's a blind and stupid fool, Brother, and he would have to be to be willing to work with Envy in some plot to kill you."

Exasperated, Alphonse looked to the stack of empty plates on the coffee table. Edward's last two meals had been the food Jack had brought. The young man seemed better than the other day, not as weak, even after taking the tonic. Was it coincidence? Or perhaps Edward's theory about Envy was true. "Jack's not working with Envy. He might have his own agenda, like Noa said, but Envy isn't a part of it. He wants you alive." Alphonse looked across the room. Einstein was sitting on the dresser next the bed, watching them. Noa was still in her room, they hadn't heard from her all morning, but then again, they celebrated well past midnight and she retired, drained. "You're doing better, Brother."

"You mean my health?" Edward thought about it, looking at his hands. "I'm not as achy today," He replied thoughtfully. "But cancer doesn't go away overnight. Our calculations said I only had about three to six weeks at best and I've been on Arsenic for what? Three weeks? It works swiftly, but I don't think it'll put me in remission that fast." He lifted a hand brushing hair from his eyes. Alphonse recognized the white striations in his fingernails. They started when he began taking the arsenic.

"But if you were being poisoned, and the poisoning stopped, the thing that was accelerating the disease is gone, then you'd start to recover a little more and the medicine might start to make a difference."

Edward shrugged. "Too soon. Can't tell for sure. So, you think its Envy too?"

"Like you said, it's possible." Alphonse replied, trying to think of it. It was strange, when he thought of the dark hair homunculus he felt cold. His ribs ached and he rubbed his side absently. "I think since Jack's goose came from the outside, it's not laced with poison. I'll ask him to bring you food from the outside, ok?"

"If that will make you feel better." Edward replied rolling his eyes dramatically. He opened to a clean page in his notebook. "I'm going to compile a list of places we need to investigate and equipment we'll need to bring. Ok?"

A knock at the door made Alphonse's heart jump. As far as he knew, Jack had the morning off and the other guards left them alone. It could only be one person, Kaiser. Alphonse wasn't sure if he was ready to face the man, he hadn't seen him since his beating. "Brother?"

Edward calmly placed their Christmas books in his desk drawer and came to a careful stand. "Come in."

Kaiser opened the door and entered followed by the two on-shift security guards. He stopped only a few feet from Edward, sharp dark gaze scanning the room.

Alphonse held his breath; concerned Kaiser would become angry at their mess. The room was in disarray. The bed was unmade, and books and papers were stacked near the couch and on the coffee table in the parlor. Clothes hung sloppily over furniture and on the floor near the bathroom. Dirty plates and glasses were scattered throughout the room on dressers, shelves and end tables. The lounge chair that normally sat in front of the fireplace still sat in the parlor, as was Jack's Christmas tree.

Since they had been ill, they had little time to be tidy.

"It is good to see you both up and about." Kaiser announced. "And busy at work I see. Feeling better, Edward?"

Edward shoved his hands in the pockets of his slacks and shifted. "As well as expected."

"Good, good." Kaiser smiled. He shifted his attention to Al, his mock concern almost reminding Al of Roy. "And Alphonse? Are you faring well?"

Alphonse cast a glance to his broken arm. How could the man order such cruel things one moment and suddenly sound concerned the next? Didn't he realize how hypocritical he sounded? Alphonse found himself really wishing Kaiser was Roy, or perhaps that Roy could be there to teach Kaiser a lesson in manners. "Achy."

Placing his hands behind his back, Kaiser walked up to the boy and circled him. "My people will remedy that this afternoon." He explained. "From what I hear, one can have inspiration with the use of Opium. It is a pity the League of Nations is attempting to regulate its use. Nonetheless, I've come here for several reasons." Clicking his heels, he turned to face Edward.

Edward gritted his teeth, annoyance crossing his face. "Reasons? What hoops do you want me to jump through now, Herr Kaiser? Have I not jumped through enough?"

Twitching, Alphonse placed a hand on his brother's arm. He admired his brother's will, and did not want to quell it. Another beating for Alphonse would only make Edward feel more guilt. Edward floundered in guilt on a day-to-day basis; he needed no more, for it would eventually drown him. "Brother."

Kaiser chuckled. "I will take that as you knowing your place, Edward. I find it humorous you can still find the will to be sarcastic. But I digress. I have decided after your brother's beating that I should reward you for your work. Yes it was difficult for you to share your notes, but I understand how possessive scientists are, especially ones like you. So, I feel it is time to build your reputation in the scientific world, and educate your brother for I suspect he will be as accomplished of an Alchemist are you are."

Beat the horse, and give it a carrot when it behaves. Alphonse winced. Kaiser was attempting to condition them. "Brother is educating me." Alphonse replied softly. "I need no tutors."

That smile sent chills down his spine. The two guards moved to either side of Edward as Kaiser touched Alphonse's cheek and traced a finger to his lips. "You put up quite the fight the other day, Alphonse." His hand lashed out, slapping him across the face. At the same time, the guards grabbed Edward's arms and pulled them behind his back. "Apparently you know little of manners, boy. You may not address me unless spoken to. When I was a boy, I was beaten until I understood this. In a week, I have arranged for you to go to a boarding school. It is a private institution run by allies of mine. They will keep you in line and show you how to be a proper obedient young man."

"This wasn't a part of our deal!" Edward shouted, straining against the arms holding him. "Al stays here, with me!"

Kaiser swiftly turned on Edward, fist slamming into his cheek. "We made no such arrangement, Herr Elric!" He grabbed the young man's face, fingers sinking into the bruising flesh. "Do I have to remind you how I own you and your brother?"

"You don't need to." Alphonse announced. It took every ounce of Al's control to keep him from lashing out. Instead he stood frozen, mind racing. Why, why was Kaiser sending him away? Didn't he know Ed would never do as he wanted if they weren't together? The boy stared at his brother as he wrenched his face from Kaiser's hold, anger and defeat reflecting in his gaze.

"I am speaking to your brother, boy." Kaiser signaled his guards who jerked Edward back, so his arms were twisted behind him. His tiny frame, even though dwarfed by the thugs holding him, struggled in an attempt to be free. "Well Edward?"

Stubborn, Edward grit his teeth and looked away. The bruise forming on his face was dark and covered his cheek, making his flesh look even paler than before. The strain of their captivity was killing Edward, and now it seemed, the Kaiser didn't care, as long as he had an Alchemist at his beck and call.

"It's all right brother." Alphonse said stiffly wishing Edward would stop pushing their luck. If they could just lay low for a few days, they could perhaps talk Jack into helping them escape sooner. But he couldn't bet on Jack, not now. He had to rely on his own abilities.

In the back of his mind, the array in the lab seemed to call.

He could get power to save Edward. But Edward would never forgive him if he sold his soul…

"Damn it, Al, it's not all right. I have to take care of you, we've fought too long to be together…" Edward sagged, head bowed.

Tears filled Alphonse's eyes. "I know." He turned to the Kaiser, suddenly understanding. Edward was dying and the Kaiser was ensuring his investment. "You are turning the tables, aren't you Kaiser." Alphonse whispered. "You don't want Edward, you want an alchemist. Edward's worth something to you only because he is alive. When he dies, you have to make sure I'm under your control. Is that it? Is that why you're drugging me, and sending me away. I'm not just a hostage to control brother, but I'm valuable now?"

Kaiser brought his hands together. "You are a bright boy, more rational than Edward as well. Yes, Edward has his uses, but his time is short. I am a man who plans ahead, you see."

"I have no intention of dying." Edward snapped looking through long blond bangs. Weariness washed over his face, making him look warn and useless. "Give me a chance."

"A chance, Edward? I've given you many chances, and I think this move will make you more obedient. Won't it?" Kaiser side glanced Alphonse, who shivered. "Both of you need to learn manners. Especially if either of you intend on having any sort of a reputation here."

"Reputation?" Edward spat, his voice rasped with weakness and rage. "You don't give a damn about my reputation, you don't even plan on letting us go, do you?"

"Doctor Schilling was impressed with your treatment, but he claims it might give you a few more months at best. You'll never complete my work in time. You're dying. This changes, everything." Kaiser informed.

"You'll make sure he lives," Alphonse said evenly weighting his words carefully. It was time for him to make deals, to make sure his brother was kept alive. Even if he planned on escaping soon, Kaiser had to think he was playing the game. "Keep his medicine coming? I'll do nothing if Brother dies, Kaiser."

"I expected nothing more from you young Elric." Kaiser gestured to his guards who released Edward. The young man's legs shook, and sank to his knees. "I have invested a great deal in this project. Too much to let just Edward Elric die."

Grabbing the desk, Edward pulled himself up. "And what of Noa?"

Kaiser put his hands on his hips gaze scanning Edward up and down. "As I mentioned, I am trying to ensure your reputation outside of these walls, Edward Elric. The woman is only a part of that plan." He gestured to the chair in front of the desk. "Please have your brother sit down, Alphonse, before he embarrasses himself and collapses."

Gently, Alphonse wrapped an arm about his brother, and helped him into his chair. It was difficult with his broken arm, but Edward was not interesting in fighting. "Plan?" Edward said, anger flickering in his voice. "What plan?"

Kaiser strolled around the room, half in thought as he spoke. "It's a shame she's a Roma. That will give you very little social standing. But, she will have to do, since you seem to insist on keeping her around." Kaiser rubbed his chin. He stepped on a lump on the floor, and paused looking down at one of Edward's white shirts. Lifting a brow, Kaiser studied the clutter. "A mind like yours and her power must not be wasted, Edward, and society will accept her only because you are eccentric and stubborn."

"What are you getting at?" Edward's brow furrowed with confusion. The boy felt his brother's body attempting to rise. Alphonse squeezed his shoulder in an attempt to stay him. The ploy seemed to work, when Edward stilled, hands grabbing at the fabric of his loose khaki slacks.

"You will marry her immediately." Kaiser announced. His voice picked up, a quiver of glee piercing his words. "I have already made the arrangements for tomorrow afternoon!"

Alphonse blinked, unable to comprehend the Kaiser's words. Well, it was something he didn't expect. Kaiser was not a romantic, and the marriage had to be a part of a scheme of his. The boy looked down, noticing his bother's body was tense and his eyes wide.

"Marry?" Edward sputtered, shock and frustration resonating in his voice. "Marry? How dare you order me to."

Kaiser sighed, and sympathy crossed his features. "Yes, I understand marrying that whore is distressing, but I believe it is for the best. You have lived with her too long to just dismiss her as a mistress." He kicked at the clothing on the floor. "Hum, I can see why you are so upset, she is a lousy housekeeper, but nonetheless, her psychic ability can't be ignored and I believe any offspring you produce will be very special indeed."

Tightening his jaw, Alphonse felt his stomach churn. He wanted to object, well aware Edward insisted on Noa not cleaning up after them. Yet, in the end he knew objection was useless on his part. Kaiser was no different than any German of his time; they distrusted the Roma with a passion, their hatred for them only rivaled to their hatred for the Jews. There was nothing Noa could ever do to please him, save carry children for his nefarious plans.

Did he feel that way about Edward and himself? He suspected the man did earlier, but occasionally he thought the man respected their intelligence.

"Offspring?" Edward stammered. He looked up at Alphonse, outraged, waiting for the boy to respond.

Kaiser beat him to it. "You are dying, Edward. I can not permit you passing on without progeny." Kaiser looked at them with regret and sighed. "Now, you will do as I wish. The wedding is set and you will consummate the marriage immediately, but I assume that will not be difficult for you, since that is why you wanted the woman here in the first place."

"For, for sex?" Edward's cheeks flushed. "Our relationship has nothing to do with sex! We're friends!"

Alphonse shook his head, unable to look at Kaiser anymore. The man was evil, pure and simple. His plans were obvious, and frightening to the boy. They were nothing but toys for him. If Alphonse was right, Kaiser wanted Edward and Noa to produce a child before Edward died and Kaiser would take it. In time, when Alphonse was properly educated and broken, he would be expected to take his brother's place, producing progeny with Elric genius, and Noa's psychic powers. How could Kaiser go wrong? He would expect Alphonse to teach Alchemy to them and harness the power…

A master race that would be worthy of the Thule Society's ideals. Of course, they would have to over look the dark skin, but that was a simple trifle for a race of psychically powerful geniuses capable of controlling Alchemy for Kaiser.

Somewhere inside of him, the terror returned. It was seething and irrational. But why? Alphonse felt the squirming of things beneath his flesh, as if he were back…

Back in the gate.

Was the Kaiser just following its plans?

Could they escape it?

The boy swallowed, and became aware Kaiser was speaking to his brother again. "You will of course show off your new bride at the party I am throwing on New Years'."

"Bride?" Edward was still trying to accept he was engaged. Or perhaps he was so angry he couldn't speak. Alphonse wasn't sure.

"Yes, Bride, Edward. You are handling this surprisingly well."

Alphonse felt his brother's body jerk as he attempted to stand, fists formed. Instinctively the boy gently held him down. "Brother, Please!"

"Noa's and my lives are not for you to dictate!" Edward exploded. "Who do you think you are? Bastard! I have too many things to do than to worry about wasting it on a wedding and your genetic experiment!"

"Edward, it isn't worth it." Alphonse pleaded. "Please, he will just have you drugged or worse! Please, it's not as bad as it could be!" The boy hoped Edward realized none of this really mattered: especially if they escaped.

Unfazed, Kaiser made his way to the door, but paused long enough to place a velvet box on the dresser. "I can always have them increase your medication, Edward. It may help you relax on your wedding day! So I would listen to your brother! I've arranged for Noa's belongings to be brought into this room, Alphonse will be moving into hers until he leaves next week! That is, unless you share the whore with him, like you did with Herr Heidrich!"

Before Alphonse could stop him, Edward seized a paperweight from the desk and tossed it. It hit the door as it close behind the Kaiser and his thugs. It clattered with a loud thud and bounced off the hard wood to the floor, leaving an ugly dent in the stained wood.

Worried Kaiser would return, Alphonse froze, catching his breath for what seemed like endless moments. Silence followed.

Einstein mewed from his perch on the dresser, and nudged the velvet box with his nose. He wrapped his little paws around it and drew the box close to his mouth, where he bit it and gnawed at its silky fabric.

Apparently Kaiser was more amused than annoyed by Edward's behavior. Alphonse exhaled, looking down at his older brother. "Next time you need to think before you let your temper run away from you, Brother. You are getting more cranky than usual."

Edward opened his gloved automail hand and formed a fist with it. "It was what he'd expect, Al. He thinks I'm breaking." Turning, Edward removed his notebook from the desk. It was an act, or at least part of it. Edward and he had similar plans. "We will have to leave sooner than we've planned, Al. When you see Jack today, let him know, I want to depart on the 31st. By then we would have had enough time to manufacture enough of Schilling's serum and packed things."

"And Noa?" Alphonse asked worried about how his brother really felt about his forced wedding with the woman.

Edward shrugged. "I'll tell her. She's a free spirit. As far as I'm concerned, whatever Kaiser does here is not binding to either of us. Even if we're legally married, it's against both our wills, and there is always divorce." The anger flashed in Edward's gaze and Alphonse felt a shiver sweep his spine. A dark something looked back from his brother that reminded him of the things touched by the gate. "That bloody bastard thinks he can play with us, Al? Well, he has it coming to him, I promise you this, he'll be sorry he ever heard the name Elric when I'm done with him, mark my words. If it takes the last breath in this body, I'm bringing him down!"

With a sigh, Alphonse pulled his sling arm close. Edward meant every word, and was planning something very dark. Did Kaiser finally drive the elder boy to the decision of toying with the powers Ed himself had forbidden Alphonse to play with?

The Gateway.

As an incomplete Philosopher's stone Edward might just be able to access the power. But Alphonse would never allow it. In the end it would destroy his brother. No, it was time for Al to fight for them. He would just have to do it sooner than he'd planned.

&&&&

Noa

It was a little after lunch when Noa entered the Elric brother's room. Alphonse was on the couch, Einstein on his lap, as he cranked the handle of Jack's phonograph, and activated the turntable. The little machine played the high pitched Jazz tunes she heard in the blues bars in Munich. It was deep soul full music, not the peppy ragtime Jack played the night before.

The boy only glanced up briefly to greet her, his deep golden eyes lost in another place. She could tell by the way they were dilated, he had been given his does of opium and wasn't able to focus on anything but what was going on in his own young mind.

Noa heaved a breath as she crossed the room. Carefully, she began to pick up some of the clothes off the floor, aware that the lump curled up under the covers of the bed was Edward, and that he appeared to be sound asleep. But her gut knew better.

He was thinking, as he always was. Lost in thoughts of anger and regret, Edward Elric's mind never rested. For most people, men like Edward Elric were difficult to understand. On the outside he was irritable, and arrogant. He was driven, his work and determination to achieve his goals all-consuming. It was frustrating, and many would not bother with such an individual. But she knew his defensive nature hid his inner vulnerabilities, vulnerabilities she saw every time she looked at him and felt his heart.

Yet how did she know a man so intimately and not want his heart? She heaved a breath, and shook her head. Because Edward Elric, made his own cage, a cage she could not allow herself to fall into because he wanted her to be free. He was special, and like dear AlfonsHeidrich, she loved his very being wishing he would someday, free himself from his own burdens and learn to understand the liberty of his own heart.

Once finished, she made her way to the hamper near the bathroom and dropped the dirty garments into it. She could feel him watching her.

"They have servants to do that, Noa." He said softly. Large golden eyes looked back at her. Weary, he sat up, blankets sliding down to his lap. Thin strands of hair drifted to his pillow, leaving a trail of golden silk behind him. Edward rubbed his neck behind his ear, features deathly pale, yet there was more color in his cheeks. "Please, you are not our house keeper."

"And you are in no condition to look after yourselves, Edward." She said, gathering the plates. She paused before Alphonse as the boy stared blankly at the turning record, and picked up the wine glasses and bottle littering the coffee table. She felt a rush of disgust than guilt. Kaiser had robed the boy of his very mind and it was her fault. She touched the boy on the shoulder. "Good afternoon, Alphonse, I see Einstein is watching over you. He is a good friend."

"Humm?" Alphonse looked down, his mind dreaming of many things, mostly colors, and swirling pictures. He was lost, and trying to focus on the music.

Noa startled, pulling her hand away. She had not expected that, her mind had become very strong since the Thule Society opened the portal to Shambola. It frightened her. Not only could she sense their emotions, sometimes, she could sense their thoughts. She forced an affectionate smile. Alphonse projected his emotions often unintentionally, and Edward was a very loud thinker. So she often stayed distant from them, afraid she would read them.

"Noa." Edward's voice turned her back to the bed, where she walked to the young man's side. "There is something I have to tell you." He was troubled and filled with anger. It was an emotion she did not need to read to know with Edward Elric.

Before he asked, she sat down on the chair beside the bed and put the stack of dishes on the dresser next to the bed. "What is it, Edward?"

Edward tightened his hands into fists. "Kaiser has ordered us to Marry."

He was confused, and unable to understand his own emotions, because they were mixed. There was anger, and disgust, yet she felt something…. She forced her mind to pull from the flood of emotional colors bathing the young man, not daring to tread where even Edward Elric did not. "Marry?"

It was only then she realized the magnitude of his words. "We are to Marry?"

"Tomorrow, and to have children." Edward explained matter of fact. He reached out, automail hands closing about her fingers. "But I will never hold you to this, Noa. Marriage is for love, I have no interest in imprisoning you in a relationship that is forced by a asshole with a god complex!"

She stared fingers tentatively touching the cold rubbery plastic covering Edward's false hand. Marry, Edward, certainly there were worse fates, and neither of them had a homeland to bind them too. Yet he was pained, pained because he thought she would suffer as his wife and lover. He wanted her to be who she was. In a society where her people were shunned, and her very sex was owned in marriage, he knew it was a brand of slavery, a gypsy spirit like hers could never endure.

All she could do was nod, lips trembling. "I have nothing but respect for you, Edward Elric. He will never own us, regardless of what he makes us do. I understand your anger, it is unfair…"

"To both of us!" Edward said sharply. "It is unfair to you, Noa. He is making a mockery of our friendship!"

If marriage is done right, it was a friendship between lovers. She looked deep into his eyes, choosing to keep silent. Their souls were connected in a marriage of understanding. As far as she was concerned, she would follow Edward Elric to the ends of the earth because of that friendship. "Edward, it won't destroy me." She said softly. "I know you will hold no chains on me. Do not worry." Her fingers tenderly touched his lips. "You are working yourself up. I suggest you rest."

His mouth opened to object, than a weak smile split his lips. "Yeah, right, I need to have energy to pop that fucker in the fucking kisser when this is all over with." Edward sagged back against his pillow and let her pull his blankets around his shoulders. "You know Noa, both Al and I got a message from Jack. He's going to help us get out of here."

"You sound doubtful." She said. She suspected as much after Christmas. Still the news made her feel a rush of excitement. "Why Edward?"

He shrugged. "It's the timing. Al is going to speak with him tonight about it. Kaiser wants to send Al to boarding school next Monday. Jack plans his rescue in two weeks. It might be too soon notice…And I still don't trust the guy."

She trusted Jack Harkness to do exactly what he wanted to do, for his own reasons, but she couldn't help but like the man. "You shouldn't, Edward. But I think we should leave Jack in the tender care of Alphonse. Alphonse has a gift with people." She offered a slight smile. "Taming lions like yourself, and Jack is no different."

Yawning, Edward stretched. He pushed hair from his eyes, and looked in Alphonse's direction. "Talking about cats, Damn it, what the hell are we going to do with Einstein… It would break Al's heart to leave him behind…"

For the first time he sounded hopeful as if Edward Elric was letting go. Noa brushed her hand though his hair. "I think Einstein can take care of himself, Edward. You worry far too much. Now, take your nap, clear your mind of your worries, we will discuss this further later on."

"And Al?" He asked, eyes fluttering as they struggled to stay open.

She passed her fingers over his lids, closing them. "I will make sure he doesn't hurt himself." She whispered in his ear. "It is the least I can do."

He was sound asleep before she finished.

&&&&

"So let me get this straight." Jack began, voice edging on disbelief. "Ed and Noa are getting married tomorrow, and you want to do some midnight research before you're dragged off to boarding school?"

Alphonse looked to his feet, feeling a little uneasy. They stood in front of the lab after he had talked Jack into bringing him there secretly while Edward slept. "Please, Jack humor me." He said. He looked up, trying to make his eyes as large as possible for sympathy.

Jack tilted the brim of his battered fedora and looked down at the boy. "Damn it, kid, things are getting worse for you guys aren't they? I thought after Christmas we'd find a way to get this all behind you."

Al looked up and down the aisle, aware two security guards were stationed at Edward's and Noa's doors. None of them were in sight, and since Jack was in charge, they didn't dare leave their posts to follow them. "We have to do it before I'm sent away, Jack." Al whispered. "December 31, after we retire from Kaiser's party. Same time, all of that."

Jack nodded. He shoved his hands in his pockets of his leather jacket. "Kind of short notice isn't? I'm going to be forced to rearrange things with my contacts. Getting out of here is going to be tough, Al."

The boy unlocked the door to the lab, feeling fright fill him as he slowly nudged the door open. "I think I can arrange something."

"Alchemy?"

"You've been spying, you'll have to tell me how." Alphonse brushed his bangs from his face. He hoped he didn't show his fear, or Jack might try and stop him. "But yes, Edward and I have one option right now, and it's too dangerous for him to attempt. He's dying because of Alchemy, Jack. But I will explain it later."

The man lifted a finger, mouth opening when Al stepped into the room and closed the door. Blackness cloaked him within its eerie womb. Alphonse placed his lamp on Edward's desk and turned up the gaslight on the wall.

The room brightened, casting shadows across the floor and the array etched on the boards. They wavered in the dim light, forms trembling across the array like hungry wraiths searching for pure souls to consume. The boy watched, worry etched across his young features.

His gut knotted. Something internal stirred. Instinct screamed, as he tried to will it away.

A splash of crimson echoed in his mind. The boy slowly turned, looking around the room searching. He back stepped, staring at the walls as they started to ooze with glowing red liquid. What did it mean? He shivered, the squirming wriggled under his skin. Unconsciously he looked at his arms. His sleeves were rolled up at the elbow, exposing his arms to the dead air of the musty lab. He saw nothing there: only bare flesh.

Yet he felt like he was being suffocated and tingles prickled the hairs up on his arms.

It, it was calling.

Did he dare answer it? The cost was too great.

Edward was dying, and they needed to escape. He didn't have a choice. He could gain power, its power with the array, if he just gave something…

Alphonse swallowed. He had been so involved with his thoughts; he didn't realize he now stood in the center of his array.

The walls around him were dripping with blood, his blood.

He needed a knife, but had none. Impulsively he darted out of the circle and crossed over to Edward's work-bench. There were test tubes and beakers sitting on the shelves behind it. Frantically, he grabbed at one of he test tubes and broke it against the counter.

He carried it to the center of the circle and held it out. The sharp edges of glass glinted in the light of the gas lamps.

Now what? None of this seemed like science. He had no theories; he had no calculations or method to act on. It was magic, pure and simple, and he couldn't explain it. His gut guided his hand as it pressed the broken glass tube against the palm of his broken arm.

There was a flash of discomfort, Alphonse caught his breath, drops of scarlet spilled from the wound and splashed against the markings on the floor.

It flared deep red and tingles swept up his legs and into his young body.

Loose fingers let the tube drop and shatter golden shards on the floor.

He could see it: the truth, as infinity raged endlessly across his mind. Yes, he understood how it worked now. Alchemy was difficult for him before, he had to use arrays to access the power. Yet like Edward and his father before him, all he needed to do was press his hands together and form Orobouros.

With a broken limb, it was awkward, and pain lanced fire up the injured arm. This pain was nothing compared to the day he and Edward had tried to resurrect their mother and the gate took him. It brought tears to his eyes.

The array glowed brightly, ruby light bathing the room, and transformed the white light of the lamps into blood flames.

The boy dropped to the ground, hands cutting into the light pattern and pressing into the design. He felt a charge explode against his fingers and up his arms. It was agony, however he held in his cry. The light rippled up his arms disintegrating his clothing and cast, leaving only patterns of swirling lights over his flesh. An array, he recognized as identical to that of the philosopher's stone, covered his nude form.

Panicked, Alphonse tired to pull away, but he was frozen and unable to escape. Helpless, he could only sit as anguish detonated in each of his cells and flooded him with dizzying ecstasy.

Looking down, Alphonse watched the floorboards below him melt away into black night. Storm force wind gusted though the room, blowing the pages of the open books scattered on Edward's desk. Lightning flashed as crimson energy flared from the circle. The room around him dissolved, leaving only him and the array.

The darkness in his soul yawned open around him and faint dark shapes wriggled at the edges of the crimson glow.

Terror filled him. He could no longer see his own body, just the flowing curves and lines of the blood red designs making his shape. He knew this place, and it hungered for him.

Out of the array snaking shapes whipped toward him. Their long tendril heads drove deep into the flesh. Alphonse stifled a scream, and frantically struggled to free his body from the invisible force holding him to the array.

The effort was fruitless and the boy could only watch as it wormed its way into him

It… The Gate and its black nature had won. IT was unnatural, alien and evil. He could feel it as it poisoned his body and ate away at his innocence. He felt his soul weaken, aware that the thing was nothing like any creature of force in the real or Alchemical world. Its very touch was acid to his humanity. He felt tainted, and the very thought made him ill. He couldn't run and hide, and there was no Edward to pull his soul free. He couldn't escape. Not this time.

The gateway had him.

It mocked him as it malevolence coursed though his blood. Gloating, it opened the floodways to the gate and let the truth yawn out and pulverize his conscious with the very fabric of infinite reality. It was a confusing garbled jibber. His young mind was incapable of comprehending. Only the simplest of concepts seemed to penetrate his fragile human brain.

The Gate was many things, a golden doorway to another place, a trove of knowledge, and the afterlife. It was both God and the devil, because the thing around it played judge to all those passing though its doors. Yet there was something more.

The truth that lay beyond the gate wasn't just a door into creation, and was more horrifying. The fear and revulsion returned, but this time Alphonse Elric forced himself to peer into the void surrounding him.

If he could just understand the truth, he could save Edward, and despite his terror, Edward was the only thing that mattered to him. For Edward, he'd try to take control of the beast raping his soul.

The squirming writhing were all around, a seething space of twisted evil. But yet, he could see the faint golden outline of the gate and it had opened to him.

Suddenly, his infant's mind understood what had frightened him so. He knew why the world of Alchemy existed. Why he was there and most of all, how it all came into being. Calculations, pure and complex arrays of mathematical perfection laced the both matter and energy together in a union of existence. It was the very focus of Alchemical energy. It was the computations harnessed by the Alchemical arrays that guided the atoms to form to their will's direction.

It, the thing that lay beyond the gate, had used this to create their world. And their world and everything that came from it were equations generated by the thing that feed off the gateway.

He, Alphonse Elric, wasn't real.

He was an equation, a thinking, feeling, equation with a created soul. And he was there because it had planned it.

The boy blanched; feebly he tried to close the door on the tide of numbers flooding his mind. It was overwhelming, for he was holding back an ocean of knowledge: information that would make the strongest mind from the real world snap.

It wouldn't stop; the truth unreeled before him, showing him worlds and civilizations his child's mind could barely imagine. And at the same time, a part of him, the part connected to the gateway itself recognized. Panic lumped in his throat. He never wanted to realize how small they really were.

Edward had once claimed they were children with the power of Gods.

In truth, they were NOTHING. Grief filled him, and he found himself wanting to surrender. How bad was it? If he wasn't real did it really matter? Only real living souls made a difference in the world, not ones constructed of mathematical equations.

Suddenly the flow of information began to subside and the things worming in him began to multiply. They grew out of darkness, single eyed abominations that wrapped about his form burring him in their seething mass.

It was meant to be, he was never meant to be anything but a part of it. But what was it? The boy's weakening mind shifted its attention, aware his very limbs were starting to vanish into black nothings.

Through the truth he saw, that thing guarding the gate was wicked, and very crafty. It got its strength from the gateway, and guided all those who touched its power. Like now, it looked at him as a small pawn to toy with and perhaps to help it with its greater plans. Plans that he himself could not glean from it save that it was entertained by their torment and wanted to break all those who touched it.

As a philosopher's stone, his being was a tempered shell to be used by whatever forces that powered it. Only a matter of will against the force in question determined whether that stone would be a slave or its master. And his will wasn't enough. Alphonse Elric was never a leader. He was always a follower.

There was something different and unexpected about Edward. He had will enough to bargain and mold the powers around him to his own liking. So it had to play his game.

Alphonse felt his consciousness fading. He didn't care about the darkness closing about his heart. Peace began to settle as tendrils scaled up his body and covered his face. Tentative fingers oozed out of the tendrils, and probed his lips gently. They entered his mouth, and their mass slowly cut off his air.

All he needed to do was let go and let Einstein's laws of physics take over. IF he didn't fight, he too would fade into mindless bliss, no longer able to feel, or question what he was anymore. It would be peace, eternal peace until the ultimate end where his energy was used in someone else Alchemical equation on Amestris or to be used against his brother.

Einstein…

The boy's mind suddenly began to race. One had to have a soul to be converted into Alchemical energy. It had tricked him!

Fury filled Alphonse, that thing had twisted the truth. He strained, will forcing itself to fight the peace whisking away his form. He was REAL. Yes, indeed even if he was merely an equation, something made him real. How could he doubt it? Hadn't he doubted his validity before? Hadn't Edward proven to him his soul was real? Didn't that mean anything?

Edward was dying, and no matter what they were, Alphonse was sure they had souls and some how, they were just as real as the rest of the world. And so was Amestris! He had to fight!

"I am Alphonse Elric!" He shouted at it. "And I am a human being, not your toy!" The words burst from his lips, and the red lines adorning his form flashed brightly. Suddenly he saw the dark outline of his body and the things inside of him thrash sickeningly beneath his skin. They were burning. It took every once of strength he had to keep his thoughts from the agony and fight the sickening nausea washing over him.

The moment felt eternal before blackness gave way to scorched brick walls and blood glow of Edward's lab.

The circle was branded deep in the floor reveling crystallized stone underneath charcoal wood boards.

Alphonse gasped. He was still on his knees, flesh marbled with glowing crimson etchings. Disbelieving, he looked around. The room looked like a bomb hit it. The tables, machines and glassware were smashed against the walls, and burning books and paper were scattered about in shreds. The floor was covered with ash and melted stone. And the array glowed bright red. It was difficult to breathe, and he scarcely recalled where he was or why he was there. Only fragments of his experience remained. The only thing circling though his mind was that he failed and was powerless to save Edward. Trembling and pained, Alphonse heaved a sob, tears filling his eyes.

"Alphonse." It was his father's voice. Weakly, the boy lifted his head, feeling the weight of his battered body drag down his feeble movements. The shakes had not subsided, and it was difficult to remain upright. "Alphonse, I have little time before it realizes I am here." The voice continued. "You have come a long way for Edward; I am very proud of you."

"Father?" His voice was horse, and speaking felt like rubbing sandpaper down his throat. "Your soul was sacrificed to open the gate; that's what Edward said."

"A soul as old and as powerful as mine can not be completely extinguished, Alphonse; and for those who came from the world of Alchemy, it is even more difficult. We are bound to the Gate."

Gold shimmered in the air and coalesced into a tall amorphous form. Blinking though the tears and dust Alphonse rubbed his eyes. It must have been a dream, he didn't see the gate manifest there, and it was not possible for him to hear his father's voice. However: somehow, this translucent being spoke with his words.

Alphonse swallowed, trying to quell his nerves. The room around him faded into night, and he saw the golden doors opened behind the form. It was blinding, yet cold and unyielding, unlike the figure extending a hand to him.

Alphonse rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, and sniffled. "How can you be proud of me? I failed."

The hand touched his head, sending tingles though his scalp. It was comforting and warm. It had to be father, who else could it be? Alphonse uneasily stood, aware that his legs wobbled and refused to support him but his stubbornness won out and he managed to stand, just long enough.

"Did you fail, Alphonse? I suppose we've all failed. I certainly have; with your mother, and Edward. I see failure as a learning experience, and I believe you have learned a great deal."

Those translucent hands slipped to his shoulders and Alphonse felt them drawing him in for an embrace. The thought of resisting occurred to him, but he was too spent to fight. Instead he let himself be enfolded in the glittering light. Sobbing he pressed his face into the form's chest. It wasn't solid, but he could feel some resistance like wading through a heavy river current. He felt gentle arms circle him, and sensed familiar warmth of his father's presence. He couldn't speak, but tranquility cradled him, the trembling stopped.

A tender touch lifted his face. "I would much rather you as a Philosopher's stone use what's left of me, than it. I started all of this by leaving your mother in the first place and should end it. Would you trust me, Alphonse?"

Alphonse heaved in a mournful cry and tears rolled off his chin. "I don't need your soul, father. I just don't want Edward to die."

Loving eyes softened in the red glow of the array adorning Alphonse's body. Hohenheim of the Light weakly smiled.

"Don't lose hope, Alphonse. Together, we will make that right, won't we? Send Edward and yourself home, and remember, I will always love you both." He straightened, and stepped away, hands coming together in a single clap. Before Alphonse's gaze, a blast of light detonate from the gate, and blanked them in its glittering warmth. Hohenheim's face twitched into a triumphant grin looking very much like Edward then splintered into a sea of dazzling stars.

The boy screamed, hands reaching out, frantic and praying there was a way to gather the shards and return his father's soul to its original form. Energy flared around him and he felt a surge as his own crimson glow bleed brighter. The boy's heart thudded frantically against his chest as fear and confusion filled him. It was unfair, there had to be another way, he never wanted to use souls, not ever again.

"Father… Noooo!" His grieved cries echoed off the dead black void surrounding him.

The light sparkled down like snow flakes on a winter night. It faded into his exposed flesh leaving tingles in its wake. Alphonse felt a fiery explosion burn through his body.

Then cold darkness seized him as he fell into blackness.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 16

The Truth Behind Sins

Or

I'm No a Shrimp

Jack

He wondered if the kid was getting to him. Scratch that, he knew the kid was getting to him. What surprised him was that it didn't bother him when he thought of it. What was it? Alphonse Elric was a good kid. Perhaps it wasn't that simple, but Jack knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, if he had known the kind of person Alphonse was, he would have approached the assignment in an entirely different way. Yet he had his orders, and it seemed the two boys, mysteries in themselves, were vital pieces to a puzzle his superiors wanted him to solve.

Looking down the hall, Jack sighed. It was getting late, and he was kicking himself for letting the kid talk him into taking him to the lab. Even if it had been for a few minutes, the two guards down the hall would think it suspicious.

And Alphonse never took a few minutes. Sighing, he turned to knock on the door when he heard a distinct crackling sound. It sounded nothing like Edward's Tesla coils or generators; in fact, it was more like the repeated lighting strikes from a powerful storm. The door rattled and there was a deep rumbling coming from the room. Jack wondered why the guards on station hadn't come charging down the hall; hadn't they heard the commotion? He paused and listened, ear up against the door; there was some crashing, like wood against stone.

The readings from his scanner were off the chart. He tapped his wristband and studied the scrolling data. Yes, a dimensional anomaly similar to the ones he saw when the Thule society opened the portal months ago. Yet this was very different, like nothing he had seen before.

A child's scream snapped his attention from the data to the door.

Alphonse was in trouble. "I should have known, never trust the kid to stay out of trouble…" He grunted, jamming the key into the door's lock and turning the knob. Something was holding the door shut and it took all his strength to force it open.

Red energy flashed in bolts of crimson across the room and a whirlwind, like a back hole spun in the middle of the room. Alphonse stood in the center, tiny form swaying listlessly as the forces converged around him. He was nude and frail, hair thrashing about his pale face like tendrils of silk. His eyes glowed scarlet, the same color as the vibrant etchings that covered his flesh.

The man burst into the room, and found himself fighting against a tide of fluctuating energy and just for a moment time seemed to stop around him. Alphonse jerked, a whimper slipping from his lips and waves of sparking pulses crackled down his helpless form. His body fizzled and Jack swore he saw static. The boy jerked. "FATHER Noooooo!"

Suddenly it was over with and Al crumpled in a small broken heap in the crystallized stone crater on the floor.

Panic drove Jack Harkness. He pushed though the weakening tide holding him back and charged into the circle and to the boy lying on the floor. Gathering the boy into his arms he felt for a pulse, and found none. No breath came from his lips, but his flesh was still warm.

Wasting no time, Jack quickly tilted the boy's head and checked his mouth, making sure he had not inhaled anything that blocked his air passage way. Satisfied, he laid, the boy down and quickly plugged his nose and breathed into his mouth, filling the child's lungs with air. He repeated the procedure while intermediately applying chest compressions with his hands.

What if Al died? He didn't like the idea; he had even entertained the idea of taking the boy in once the mission was over with, even if it did cramp his lifestyle. How much trouble could a 13 year old boy be?

Granted from the condition of the laboratory, a very dangerous 13-year-old boy. A boy, who with his brother was on the verge of changing the course of human history and possibly more.

Not that it mattered. If Al died, Ed was always of use. As long as Jack had one of them, he would succeed with his mission. But he would regret Alphonse's death. He had gotten too close to this one in a personal way. Once more he pressed his mouth around Alphonse's and gave a long breath.

The boy sputtered, and gagged.

Jack pulled away, hoping the child would have the strength to breath on his own. He stroked Alphonse's back, encouraging the boy's gasping breaths. "Hey, hey, it's alright kid," he gently felt the boy's pulse, and felt a strong heart beat. "I think you owe me that explanation now."

Alphonse's eyes opened, half lidded. "Father?' He meekly asked. He shivered and curled up against Jack's lap, confusion and pain washing over his brow.

"It's just you and me, kid, and I'm guessing more of my friends up the hall pretty soon." Jack said, smoothing the boy's hair out of his face. He looked around the room, feeling his gut drop. There was no way he'd be able to hide this one. "Damn, so you're into demolitions too, I see."

The boy looked up, a hint of a smile forcing the corner of his lips. He looked worn, but the color had returned to his young face. "This is nothing." He said softly. "You should see my brother, when he gets going, he can really take the place down."

"Ed? Why doesn't that surprise me?" He could hear the familiar sounds of footfalls down the hall and the angry curses of Edward Elric. "Damn, we're in trouble."

Lifting his head some, Alphonse assessed the lab, than leaned to the side, he weakly clapped his hands together and laid them on the floor.

Wasn't the one arm broken? Hadn't he splinted the limb himself? Jack stared in disbelief.

There was a brilliant flash of red light and Jack felt the floor underneath him rise. It was like watching a movie in reverse. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the work-benches, tables and machines rebuild themselves. Every beaker, test tube and flask flipped back on the shelves in perfect repair. Even the books and note-books returned to their places on the desk, and shelves.

Hauling Al into his arms, Jack danced back a few steps as the wooden floor-boards recovered the floor. It was amazing the boy had managed to manipulate matter at a subatomic level without any machines with only his hands, and mental calculations.

He had only heard stories of such things. Jack peered down at the child unable to find a proper response.

The footsteps were closer, and the room was back to it's disorganized self. Right down to the red jacket hanging on the coat stand near the door. The jacket Jack had mind to grab and wrap Alphonse in.

"You can keep a secret, Jack?" Al asked, voice barely audible. His deep golden eyes were half lidded and very troubled. Whatever he and done upset him.

Jack nodded, already trying to logically deduce what he had just seen. Damn, he couldn't get a reading on it, but he was sure it was off the scale. He carefully walked over to the door. Shifting Al, he turned down the gas and closed the door to the lab behind him. "Sure, Al, I can keep a secret. That's alchemy, isn't it?"

Alphonse Elric nodded, pulling the coat closer to him.

He shivered. "Alchemy…" The words barely slipped from his lips when he went limp, exhausted.

"Alchemy." Jack whispered to himself. "Yes, alchemy, but I'm afraid it is far more complicated than you think." He stopped walking, watching for the security guards to turn the corner. His gut twisted as he recalled what he had seen in the lab. He had a hunch that what Alphonse Elric called Alchemy was one of the most sought for lost sciences in world. Jack Harkness had the sinking suspicion the agency had denied him some serious need to know information, and whatever it was, he had just become embroiled in a mystery of galactic proportions.

&&&&&

He had a strange dream about Alfons Heidrich; in it the young man was trying to tell him something, yet Edward was too absorbed in finding a cure for tuberculosis to listen.

It was a frustrating dream, and Edward realized it was symbolic though the symbology escaped him at that time. What he did recall was that they were talking, and he had been reluctant to wake up, because if he did, it would inevitably mean he failed to cure Alfons and that his inability to accept the real world resulted in the man's death.

Suddenly, Edward Elric found himself sitting up, feeling oddly foolish as if he was rattling his pathetic heart out to thin air. He was alone in bed, Einstein in the chair before the fireplace, and Alfons nowhere to be seen.

It had been a dream, but it felt very real.

"Al, I'm loosing my mind." He said a loud. It had to be that. Didn't the advance stages of leukemia bring on brain delusions? Worried, he reached out to touch his brother, to find an empty bed.

Wearily, he pressed his head in his hands and ran his fingers though his long hair. It was down past the middle of his back. The chemo was thinning the golden strains by the day now. Though, Al hadn't noticed, but soon it would just start falling out in chunks. Or that was what Doctor Schilling told him: if worst came to worst, he'd just shave it, and be done with it. Edward sighed, feeling a few strands come loose in his hands.

His hands, the older boy frowned. There was a faint glow on his wrist. Puzzled the young man rolled down his nightshirt's sleeve and stared at the intricate lines, glowing faintly on his flesh. "Al…"

Fighting his aching limbs, Edward Elric bolted out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. He stared at his gaunt features in the mirror, shock forming on his young face. Yes, the same faint red lines were there, circling under his chin and around his cheeks and forehead. Unbuttoning his shirt, he discovered them all over his chest, and dipped beneath the waist of his boxer shorts. Even his one leg was covered.

He had seen similar marks on Scar's arm. He vaguely recalled how the markings reacted when near an active philosopher's stone. They glowed. It could only mean one thing.

"Oh shit! AL!"

Yes, it made sense! If Al wasn't there he was in the lab, and if Edward was right, the younger Alchemist found a way to access the gateway.

Of course, with the guards outside, he could do nothing about it, they'd see the markings on his face and report it to the Kaiser, but Edward didn't care, if Al was endangering himself he had to stop the boy. Edward buttoned up his shirt, and grabbed a robe. The glow on his arm flickered briefly and dimmed. Something was happening and he had to move very fast. As long as he reacted to the power of the philosopher stone, he knew Al was still alive.

"Trust Al…" He muttered kicking on his slippers and trotted across the floor. Already the glow had dimmed more and was almost unnoticeable. Worried, he whipped open the door, and ducked out.

And right into the arms of one of his sentries. Irritable, Edward waved an annoyed hand at the large brutish man and ducked around him. "I don't have time for this! I need to get to the lab!"

He wasn't as fast as he would have liked to be and that cost him. Heavy hands seized his shoulders, and spun him around like a toy top. "I have orders that you stay put, Shrimp!"

Shrimp.

Edward's gaze darkened.

The man called him a shrimp. Not just a shrimp, the very comment implied that Edward Elric was SMALL. So small that he didn't deserve the respect deserving of a genus of his caliber.

The Alchemist glared. "Shrimp?"

"That is what he said." The second security guard stepped up beside his comrade and leered down at Edward. "Why? Does Herr Elric have a problem with being small?"

"Small? Small?" Edward's voice rose to a loud shrill. "Who the hell are you calling so small he can't be seen by 900X magnification with an oil emersion microscope???"

Furious he waved his fists, With a burst of strength, wrenched himself from the hands holding him and roughly pushed past them like a bowling ball through pins and stomped down the hall. By god, he may be been weak as a kitten, dying of leukemia, nauseous from chemo, but NO ONE, NO ONE called him SHRIMP!

Dimly though his righteous haze, he heard a fury of startled German. Yet he was too angry to interpret their words. Only that they were stunned by his outburst.

It was to his advantage, Edward thought. He needed to get to Al and get to him fast. He picked up his pace. Behind him, the voices became angry and he heard the thunder of heavy feet.

"Herr ELRIC!"

The teenager flew into a full sprint. It hurt, his entire body screamed from the exertion, but thoughts of Al loosing his soul and life to the gate drove him. Clenching his teeth he forced himself to keep pace, every step screaming with the ach of muscles and the churning of his stomach. In a full run, he raced painfully aware the price he'd pay if he failed.

The hall itself seemed endlessly stretching out before him like a distorted nightmare, but he could see the corner looming up. Around the corner and down several feet was the lab.

Something bowled into his back, driving him face first into the floor. He felt the crunch of ribs and the scream of bruising flesh with the impact and for a moment, the world blazed white.

When the haze cleared, Edward felt hands digging into his shoulders as some one flipped him over on to his back. He tasted iron in his mouth. "Don't be a fool boy." A gruff voice said coldly. "You are still a prisoner here and we have our orders!"

Shaking his head, Edward tried to force away the florescent spots dotting his vision. He cursed his weakness, making a note that having Leukemia sucked. "Bastard, just go to hell for me!" The alchemist gave a bitter laugh. "And get your fucking ass off of me!"

The big German leered down at him, smiling. He was missing a tooth, and his face was flushed. At least Ed had the satisfaction of making the man work for his living. The guard side glanced his friend who smirked wickedly. "You are a stupid boy, Herr Elric. Why don't you just return to bed. There is nothing you can do here." He slowly eased off the young man, a big hand remaining on Edward's flesh arm. "If I were you, herr Elric, I would not press my luck!"

Edward grit his teeth. "Yeah, right." Weakly, Edward shifted his legs underneath him. They wobbled like noodles, but he was able to kneel. He set his jaw with determination then sprang, automail leg baring his weight as he sprinted up and out of the grasp of his guard. Around the corner.

To be tackled once again by one thug. This time he slammed into the wall, chin pressing against the fine wooden molding in the middle of the wall. It sent aching pushes across his face and down his spine. Again he fought the dizziness and spots. Summoning whatever strength he had left Edward used his automail arm to spring off the wall. They didn't expect it, and fell away from him as his head rammed into the chin of the bastard on top of him and human fist rammed into the other man's face. The blow was weak, but stunned the man long enough for him to land his automail fist into his gut.

The other guard recovered enough to kick him squarely in the back. Launching forward, he kissed wall once again and felt hands seized his shoulders and spin him around. Scowling with blood spilling from his mouth, the security guard drew his fist back ready to strike!

"If I were you, Hans, I would watch were you put that fist, Kaiser wants him functional for his wedding night." It was Jack.

The hands holding him released him and shoved him away enough to see the tall head of security walking up the hall, carrying a bundle wrapped in his old red jacket. Alphonse, Edward paled. He went to spring forward when a hand grabbed the back of his robe, yanking him back. "Al? Al?!"

Jack gave him a once over as he walked by. Al lay limp in his arms, deathly pale and quaking. "Hans, I'd let the kid go, looks like you roughed him up quite a bit, hope you didn't damage his Johnson, the boss will be pissed…"

Hans blanched, hands going limp. "Yes sir!"

Straightening his robe, Edward pushed pass the man, following close at Jack's heals. Al had done something foolish and he was sure Jack had seen it all. "You fucking asshole, if you did ANYTHING to him I'll kill you!"

Jack side glanced him, gaze narrowing. Edward could see the other guards were close behind them, and listening to the discussion. "A little dope does wonders for keeping them out of trouble and tame as a kitten!"

Al's naked arm slipped from the bundle and the boy moaned, nuzzling up against the body holding him.

The two thugs behind them chuckled, than stopped staring at each other questioningly.

For Jack's sake, Edward Elric hoped it was just a ploy. If not, Harkness just earned an ugly death. Gritting his teeth, Edward stalked behind Harkness, aware the men behind him had become strangely quiet.

"Door Ed!" Jack snapped, waiting for Edward to scurry around him and push the door open. The man walked over the thresh hold, holding the boy.

Shutting the door in the guard's faces, Edward glared at Harkness as he placed the boy down in bed. He quickly unwrapped Alphonse's body and began to check the boy's limbs.

"What the hell happened Harkness?" Edward snapped crossing over to the bed. He nudged the man out of the way and examined his brother. The boy was pale, sweat dotted his brow and he was strangely warm. The arm that had been shattered by Rudolf was fully mended, as were the ribs. Not a bruise or a bump marred his body, yet his face was strained, tormented by something.

Edward's gut twisted. He swiftly checked the boy head to toe for the red mark of Orobouros. There was none. He sat heavily down on the bed and looked up at Jack. The man emerged from the bathroom with the first aid kit. "Ed you really have to stop pissing off the hired help. You look like shit."

Edward looked down at himself, aware he felt awful. He waved an annoyed hand. "Well, they pissed me off! Now, answer the fuck'n question."

"You earned that mouth on Amertris?" Jack asked. Gently he turned Edward around. "Jesus, they worked you over good…"

Harkness was avoiding the subject. Edward jabbed a finger at Alphonse. "Al! What about Al?"

Jack opened Edward's robe and unbuttoned his nightshirt. "Physically, Al's fine. Spiritually, I have no fucking clue."

Edward felt his hands feeling down his chest, poking gently at the ribs. He winced, flashes of pain flaring down his side. It was then he realized, Jack Harkness had him almost completely undressed and had not even mentioned the automail arm which Edward had hidden under his clothes. "What do you mean?"

"Hans broke ribs and you have a hell of a lot of bruising. I'm gonna have to tape these." Jack pulled out a roll of bandages. "So what the hell did he do to piss you off? No offense Ed, but you're not in the condition to get pissed off."

Frustrated, Edward grabbed Jack's shoulders and shoved him arms length. "God Damn it! Tell me what the hell happened to Al!"

"Alchemy." Jack said evenly.

Einstein jumped on the bed beside Alphonse and nuzzled the boy's face. The torment faded, and peace settled across the boy's features. Alphonse's hand bumped the kitten. The animal curled up next to him, purring.

A flicker of relief filled Edward. The damn cat was good for something. "Alchemy." He said to Jack flatly. "What kind of Alchemy?"

"How the hell do I know!" Jack said. He lifted Edward's arms and carefully began to wrap his chest. "Damn, you're ripped for a little guy."

He called him little. Edward's brow twitched. "I'm not little!" He shouted, it took a remarkable amount of control from him not to beat the man silly, but the blond Alchemist managed. There were more important things than his…. diminutive size. "I thought you were spying."

"I was, but to be honest, I don't know squat about this Alchemy shit." Jack informed. "I have my suspicions, but wow, I never imagined either of you would get results."

"Results?" Edward looked back down at Alphonse. Of course the boy had results. He activated the gateway somehow, which triggered the redwater inside of his body. "Al did Alchemy in front of you?"

Jack nodded. "Kid nuked the lab, trying to get power! Let me see," the man rolled his eyes skyward. "I saw this whirlwind, red light, lightning sort of like he opened a black hole. It took a huge chunk out of the floor and trashed all the equipment and books. I kept thinking of the Tunguska Blast." He finished wrapping the young man's chest, then dabbed his face with a wet cloth and cleaned off the blood. After applying a few bandages he handed Edward a few pills. "Take these, you'll need it for the pain and swelling. I'll get some ice from the kitchen." He stood up.

Edward washed the pills down with a glass of water and folded his arms deep in thought. Jack's description sounded like the gate. "Black hole? I'm not familiar with the term… The book you gave me mentioned something like that…"

Jack winced; he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Ahhh, it's a concept implied by Einstein's laws of physics. You're pretty bright, I assumed…"

Edward lifted a brow. "Don't assume. I'm not from this place, and my understanding of physics is a work in progress. I can see how you could come to such a conclusion, with the breaking down and changing of energy, but you'd need a tremendous reactor to create such a gravity well…"

"Did your brother summon power from a black hole of sorts, Ed?" Jack asked.

It was an odd question and Edward had to think about it. He wasn't sure how much Jack knew, he certainly knew very little of Alchemy, or at least their brand of Alchemy, but he did know a great deal about science. He heaved a tired breath aware his body was exhausted. "Black hole, I guess you can call it that. If he did what I think he did, it was very dangerous. I'm surprised he's still alive."

Jack rubbed his chin. "I had to resuscitate him, but he recovered fast enough. What was he trying to do?"

"Make Alchemy work here. But you need a power source, energy, to make the transmutations work." Wearily Edward came to his feet, and pulled the blankets around Alphonse. "Except the cost it too great."

"Yeah, he said it could kill you." Jack informed. "Is it death? In the past people scarified lives to make their so called magic to work."

Circling the bed, Edward sank down to his side and assembled the rest of his nightshirt. He was too tired to care about his concerns about Jack. The blunt fact was he needed the man or what he knew. "This isn't magic, Jack. There are laws you have to obey, you need materials, you need energy, and you need an understanding on an atomic level to construct what you want to make. The arrays, everything they're equations for shaping matter. You need chemistry, biology, physics, and math." Edward inhaled. He looked at the man before him hoping he'd understand what he was trying to explain. "Alphonse was tapping the gate, in hopes he could force it to give him power. The gate is a place, but also a living source. It processes energy by twisting it according to the natural laws of this world and creating Alchemical energy…"

"Ok." Jack stared at Edward, face suddenly pale. "Well, he did it. Ok. He clapped his hands and Boom! Your lab is nice and tidy. No big hole in the floor, no more broken furniture…" The man waved his hands, motioning a little clap. "Like Bam! I've never seen anything like it!"

'Really?" Edward lifted a brow. "You seemed to follow my theory well enough. Are you sure?"

Jack frowned. He made his way to the door. "It's not unheard of… Maths being used to make things. I mean, there are theories, Ed. Just a single person being capable of doing them in his head… WOW."

"Math is only a part of it." Edward said tilting his head. "Though I guess, in the end, it does come down to breaking things down to mathematical formulas. I mean, that's chemistry and physics. Everything is math…" He patted the bed. "This bed, the blankets, the human body… At the subatomic level, it's just a bunch of particles tied together in mathematical arrangements." Edward yawned. "God damn it, now if I could just find the proper formula for harnessing the energy from a dimensional vortex that didn't use souls to convert into Alchemical energy, our problems would be solved!" He painfully flopped backward feeling the jar of his injuries shiver down his spine. He was tired and wanted to sleep.

"Souls?" Jacks voice was soft, and Edward detected a hint of horror.

Edward rolled to his side, staring at his younger brother. He looked small, curled up in a fetal position, with Einstein nestled in next to him. Whatever Al did seriously disturbed the boy. "It's an unacceptable technicality." He waved a hand. "And it's a one way street too, so I have my work cut out."

"Ok, Ed, you sound tired." Jack made his way to the door. "I guess you need your rest." He paused and asked. "Does this mean we're friends now?"

Edward snorted. "Means I'm tolerating you because you saved Al's life." He said sharply. "Now, get the hell out of here before you start to annoy me…"

"Sure, I'll get that ice and I'm out of here. " He lifted a finger. "One more thing though." Jack appeared worried. "I'm not going to be here tomorrow and I need the day to make emergency arrangements. Will you be ok?"

Edward thought about it, and sighed. "Swell, we'll be just swell. I'm more worried about Al than me. Hopefully there will be no wedding if he's ill."

Jack looked doubtful. "We'll see. Good luck kid… See you in a few days."

blackness.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 17

Passing the Torch

In the dim recesses of his sleep-filled mind, Edward Elric heard a gasp. The lump beside him shifted, and bolted into a sitting position, jolting the bed and Edward out of his dark, dreamless slumber. Turning his head painfully, he opened his heavy lids.

Alphonse stared off, large eyes blinking in a faint flicker of firelight. He shivered, hands drawing the blankets over his lap, lips trembling as tears rolled down his pale face. Einstein placed his front paws on the boy's chest, nose sniffing at Alphonse's chin.

Clumsily, Al stoked him. He drew in a breath, free arm wrapping about his waist.

"Bad dream?" Edward asked. He couldn't shake the feeling there was something horribly wrong with Alphonse.

Al blinked, looking down at him. "How did I get back here?"

"Harkness." Edward said evenly. "He told me what happened."

Alphonse stifled a sob and looked away. Moonlight shone, casting an eerie glow on the desk and furniture near the window. "Everything?"

Edward tried to look stern. "Well, what he understands and what he saw. So, yes, I could put it all together rather quickly." With an effort, he forced himself to sit up. He couldn't help but feel cross about the matter, and failed to hide it in his voice.

Looking worried, Alphonse helped him. "You look horrible Edward. What happened?"

"I tried to get to you." Edward explained. He omitted exactly why. If Al knew, he'd remind him how immature he was for getting all fired up about his height. Instead, Edward touched his brother's arm, feeling a flare of anger. Alphonse betrayed his orders. Yet, his feelings were mixed. His little brother risked everything for him. Was he that helpless Alphonse needed to endanger himself in order to save him? "Al you contacted the gate, didn't you?"

Guiltily, Alphonse nodded. The color drained from his face making him look vulnerable and lost. The young teenager lifted Einstein into his arms and hugged the kitten. Edward saw him wipe his face against the animal's soft fur. "I know you are angry."

Angry didn't even describe what he felt. Edward clenched his teeth, trying to sort out his feelings. "It was stupid." He said firmly. "What kind of dumb ass thing did you think you were trying to prove? What about everything we discussed? The cost wasn't worth it, right? That is what you said! Was all that lies? Are the souls of others so unimportant to you that you need to sacrifice them selfishly?" The words poured out of him in one furious explosion. He was hurt, very hurt Al hid his plans and went ahead with something Edward strictly forbade.

Alphonse dragged in a horrified cry and hugged his knees. "Brother! It wasn't like that! I thought, I thought, I could bypass all that! I thought…."

Taken back, Edward gapped at his brother. He was being unfair to the child. Hadn't he toyed with the use of souls to save Alphonse? Was that why he was being so hard on the boy? How could his brother follow his trail of blood? Didn't the boy learn from his mistakes? In the end, he hoped Alphonse would have been spared the guilt. "So did I Al, remember?"

To his surprise, the boy collapsed onto his side, sobs uncontrollably heaving from his chest. He clutched his head, pulling on the long strands of hair hanging in his round face. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry… I only thought it was MY soul it would take…"

Edward stared down at him, face suddenly damp. A lump caught in his throat. He knew Alphonse meant no harm in doing what he did. He was scared and desperate to save his life. In the past, Edward himself was willing to take extreme measures to rescue Al, and it was Al who was the voice of moral reason. He dropped a hand on Al's back, aware he had hurt the boy. Something dark lurked on Alphonse Elric's conscience, and Edward had let his own anger blind himself to it. Instead of scolding his brother he should have supported him. "My life isn't worth your soul."

Alphonse quivered, and fell silent. He turned his tear streaked face and stared across the room, blank eyes shimmering. "So you're the only one who can give himself for his brother? IS that it Brother? You're special."

The words hit him hard, and Edward gulped down his guilt. "No, Al." Edward said softly. "You're special." He bowed his head watching his own tears drip onto the sheets. He was a sinner and the gate would claim his soul because of it. It just wasn't something he wanted for Al. "I didn't want you to be like me. You're better than I am."

"If you die Brother, I want to die too." Alphonse whispered. "Without you I'm nothing, do you understand?" Tears filled his voice once more and the boy wept.

Heart thudding against his chest, Edward Elric studied his brother. How could he have been so foolish? He had been so caught up in his perception of the world he failed to see how wrapped up Alphonse was in following in his footsteps. The boy had no life outside of Edward's and Edward had made no attempt to give him one. As a guardian, he failed Alphonse.

"Al. I'm sorry." The words fumbled from his lips but were drowned out by Al's hysterical whimpers. Edward was dying, and they were so closely connected Alphonse was dying too.

With all his strength, Edward grabbed Alphonse's shoulders and hauled the boy up to face him. "DON'T EVER! Say those words! You want to live Al! Do you understand? Noa needs you! Einstein needs you! You have to live damn it! If I can't one of us has too! And that's got to be you! Do you understand? I'm the sinner! Not you!"

Hugging himself, Alphonse pulled away. "You can't carry that burden alone, brother, and it hurts when you try to push me away." He looked up, long hair sliding into his eyes and mouth. Absently he pushed it away. "I don't want to be alone here. What am I going to do if you die?"

Nothing, for Alphonse would become an orphan in a foreign world, with only Noa to guide him. Edward couldn't answer. Rather he felt anguish clutch at his chest. He lifted the boys face, fingers slipping into the cool teary streaks. "Shit, Al, I have no idea. Study Einstein, use that head of yours, stop following me like some lost kitten… Get a life."

A weak smile split Al's lips and he laughed bitterly. "What life brother? I don't exist here, save as Kaiser's little toy." He nudged Edward's hand from his face and folded his arms. "You're being a martyr and a jerk and short sighted. When this is all done, brother, I will get a life, and so will you." He suddenly wrapped his arms around Edward and pulled him close. "It's senseless to discuss this now. What's done is done. I've succeeded. I can do alchemy now, and when I am stronger, we will escape and I will find a way to cure you and send all of us back home."

Alphonse's voice was as unswerving and determined as his own was in the past. Edward swallowed. "I know it is too late. But it was still stupid."

Easing away the young boy meet his brother's gaze. "Yes, it was stupid, and I will live with it for the rest of my life. But I did it for us, and like it or not, I'm not going to waste it because my big brother is too caught up with keeping me an innocent child."

Squeezing the boy tight, Edward pressed his face into Alphonse's neck. It was warm. He had a fever. The strain Al put himself under had taken a toll not only on his spirit but also his body, and here Edward was ignoring Alphonse's emotions and putting down his efforts to help. Al was right. Edward was being short sighted. "I need you to be an innocent child. It's what keep me going."

He felt the boy's arms squeeze him. "I need your smile and stupid rosy ideas." Edward continued. "I need to see you laughing and thinking about the good things regardless of how bad things are. It keeps me going. If you lose that, then I lose myself to the anger and pain."

Edward was crying. He hadn't realized it, it had snuck up on him and before he knew it, the tears were streaming down his face and sobs caught in his throat. He was helpless, and lost, and terrified all at the same time, and Al was the only thing he could depend on. Edward knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt he had almost lost his little brother that night to forces that terrified him.

For too long he held his brother, sobbing like a frightened little child. The truth was, his life was fading, and more he grasped at it, the faster the time he had left drained away. There was nothing he could do in the end and he hated it. At least in the past he had the delusion of control.

"Shit." He mustered though his grief. "Got to get myself together, Al… damn it, you need me now."

"It's alright, Brother. Really. I'm strong enough for the two of us." Alphonse whispered. He rocked Edward, stroking his back tenderly. His warmth was comforting, and helped to ease the pain. "There is nothing wrong with needing others. I still see you as my big brother, and I will never stop loving you." The boy's voice trembled, its tone taking a child like quality. "It's ok to be scared, I'll always see you as the strongest and bravest brother in the whole wide world."

The wet of tears touched his cheeks and Edward heard Alphonse sniffle. "You'll always be the brother who gave his arm for me, and brought my body back. And I'll never forget you're dying for me now."

A peaceful silence settled between them and Edward let his mind drift. Alphonse's words were comforting, and he felt some of the pain fade. He was dying for Al. It was a bitter truth. All that he had done in the past to save his brother was now taking his life. For the first time, it all became crystal clear. Edward inhaled, drawing in his brother's sent. It was sharp, with a hint of sweet ozone, like the fields of Rizenbol after a lightning storm. He gave a weak sigh and shook his head. "I know it's an awful feeling Al." Edward whispered. "But it's not your fault I'm dying."

Al eased away, brushing hair from Edward's eyes. "It's ok, Brother. I knew you would say that." He gave a weak smile. Tears sparkling down his pained face. "Besides, it makes me feel like I matter. Like we matter, and it's -- nothing in the end."

It? Confusion washed over Edward. With an effort, he collected himself and studied his brother's features. The boy's brow was wrinkled and that dark something still lurked in his gaze. Edward winced. "The gate way you mean? You saw more?"

A weak nod. Alphonse used his shirtsleeve to wipe away his tears. "It made us brother. It is God."

Yes, he suspected it, but Edward felt there was far more. The universe was larger than the gateway and the thing that lay beyond it. There were other worlds parallel to their own and perhaps, as H.G. Wells suggested in his book War of the Worlds, other planets with life. "Not my God, not anymore." Edward said sharply. "And not yours." He inhaled, feeling his ribs throb. All this movement made him feel sore.

Alphonse hunched his shoulders, brow wrinkling. Distress filled his gaze as he clutched his hands. "How can you say that? It made us for its own purposes. It's evil, brother, and our world, everything we know, are its creations. We're just equations. Living breathing equations." He looked up, large eyes trembling with tears.

A hint of a smile split Edward's lips. How they were created didn't matter, what mattered was they existed. "Everything is an equation, Al. Its how Alchemy works."

The boy looked confused. "Brother?"

"We were born Al, and even if we weren't, it's just stupid to question our existence, because we're shaped by our memories and experiences. As far as I am concerned, I am who I am regardless of how I was made. Besides, we have souls. Where they come from, I don't know, but they exist, and that makes us different than things created by alchemy." He watched the boy's face as he seemed to weigh his words carefully. "Instead of letting it upset you, Al, make more hypotheses and use them to help you to learn more. Obviously the gate isn't all-powerful because it has limits, and it has to obey physical laws just like we do." He waved his hand in the air. "Ok, we're equations; obviously we're just as real as this bed, and the Kaiser, and everything else in this world. So ask this, how is the gate capable of creating a world like our own, and make it just as real as the real world? And where do our souls come from?"

"It uses power from this world." Al said simply. "Our world is smaller and based off this one."

Edward shook his head. "Our world is smaller, yes, but I don't think it gets all its power from here. I think it has limits. I think it patterns us after the people in this world, yes; but I think the souls are different and I think the gate carefully considers WHO it's going to create before it lets anyone from our world be born."

"Our souls come from beyond the gate." Al said softly. "Do you think the souls it uses are limited?"

It was a good question. It was easier to think and theorize than to dwell on what he couldn't stop. Edward felt his confidence return. "When making us, yes." Edward looked across the room. As far as they knew, the gateway could only twist and change souls. Yes, that made sense. His and Alphonse's souls were different now. They changed themselves using the gate and the power of the philosopher's stone. There was a connection now, a very deep one between them. Edward studied Al. The boy was still trying to comprehend what Edward was saying to him. "Well, I think you've proven our theory about me being an incomplete philosopher's stone. When you contacted the gate, I reacted." Edward quickly changed the subject. He felting a rush of scientific curiosity and rolled up his sleeve and showed Al his arm. "I was covered with the array from the Philosopher's stone! It was amazing. I felt it and knew you activated the stone!"

Shaking his head, Alphonse appeared lost. "Brother, aren't you still angry?"

Shrugging Edward looked across the room. Einstein walked around the bed, watching him carefully as if the animal was annoyed at his disapproval of Alphonse. He didn't blame the cat. He'd upset the boy a great deal. "Yes, but you're just doing what I would do in your situation."

Light glinted off the tears rimming Al's large eyes. "Brother."

"And you're right, it's done, so lets make the best of it and learn from what happened. And I'd be a fucking fool if we didn't use what we got." Edward gently pushed Al's hair from the boy's shoulders. " So, tell me everything and I'll try to keep my damned mouth shut, ok?"

Alphonse started from the beginning, voice shaking all the way. Apparently he figured out how to open the gate, using himself as a lure. The boy hoped he would trick it into giving him the power he needed as a philosopher's stone, but found himself struggling for his own existence. In the end, their father's spirit intervened and Alphonse came away with more power than he could imagine, but with the cost of Hohenheim's soul.

When he finished the boy, had drawn up into a ball and hugging his pillow so tight, Edward swore he'd compress himself into a gravity well with worry alone. No wonder Al was so upset. Edward watched the fading shadows of night as the sun's orange rays chased them from the room. It was morning, and Kaiser's men would be there soon to prepare them for the wedding. "I'm sorry."

"He wanted it this way." Al said evenly. "Brother, he wants you to live. I don't care what you think of him, but I know he wants nothing more than for you to live."

It seemed everyone was conspiring against Edward Elric. Even the old man he still wanted to hate. "Ok, Al, you win." He lain stiffly back in the bed and looked up at the canopy. Einstein wondered over to him and shoved his nose into Edward's eye. He lifted the animal and dropped him on to Alphonse's lap. "I suggest you give yourself a cast. They'll question you not having a broken arm. We'll discuss the rest tonight."

Al was unable to disagree and ran his fingers down Einstein's arching back. "Ok. It will be difficult. I feel like I've been hit by a zeppelin."

He could honestly say he didn't feel that bad, but felt pretty close. Edward gave a tired smile. He patted his brother's back. "It's ok, Al. And, just so you know, I appreciate what you're doing for me. Thanks."

Alphonse sniffled and lay down next to him, tiny form curling into his side. "Thank you, Brother. Hearing you say that means a lot to me. I know it is hard for you."

"Yeah." Edward closed his eyes and felt the fingers of sleep pulling at his conscious. Poor Al, he deserved better. "Don't let it go to your head."


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 18

Plans

Alphonse

Opium clouded his brain with brilliant landscapes of

rainbow colors. Occasionally, it shifted, and bubbles of light fancifully bounced across the endlessly stretching tower of stone. He was lost, and barely noticed the attendants darting about the room, in a rush of wedding fervor.

A part of him felt the dim traces of relief he'd had mind enough to make a cast to hide his now mended arm. They'd arrived shortly after, and Rudolph dosed him heavily, then came to the conclusion that Alphonse's fever was too high for him to attend the wedding.

One of the maids tucked him into bed, with Einstein faithfully at his side. She let him lie there in a daze, as they dashed around preparing the room and Edward for the day's activities.

Alphonse wasn't sure, but through the haze he saw Edward. The older boy sat in the bathroom, golden eyes glazed and blank as he was washed and dressed by Rudolph. The man appeared to mock Edward as if it was some perverse joke that he should be in Rudolph's care. Out of the sight of the staff, the apparently controlled German teased and toyed with the boy. Washed clean, Edward's bruises were covered by flesh tone makeup. When finished, the man regained his reserve.

Rudolph helped Edward to stand while one of the servants finished pulling on his short wasted tuxedo jacket. Edward didn't argue, and he appeared strangely cooperative with the staff.

The behavior bothered Alphonse, but the colors kept drawing his mind to the tickling of the blankets as they shifted with his movements in the bed.

The kitten chewed on his long tangled hair, and was shooed off by the woman attempting to change the pillowcases. She cursed, and complained to her companions. Yet Al couldn't understand what they were saying.

Edward was getting married against his will. The words kept turning over in his mind as he watched. He wasn't going. That was a good thing; he didn't know if he'd have the reserve to idly sit back and witness his brother lose complete control over his life.

But he'd have to if his plan was to work. And he was too weak to act rashly.

A moment later, someone guided Edward to the door.

The elder boy's presence was strong, and Al saw a swirling red aura bleeding off of him. Long gold bangs framed his face. They were neatly cut, not shaggy. His long hair was tied against the base of his neck, rather than at the back of his head, and his face was flushed.

Those eyes didn't focus, and looked confused. Only for a brief instant did Edward wave someone off of him, voice slurring and disjointed.

Rudolph floated into view. His narrow, hawkish features peered at Edward with amusement. He placed his hands on the young man's shoulders and looked him up and down. "His tie needs to be adjusted," he said sharply. To Edward he smirked; and for a moment, Alphonse saw a dark unyielding fire burning around him like a seething black hole of hatred. "I suggest you behave. Herr Elric, we have invited several guests to see this lovely occasion. The Kaiser is making an effort to ensure your scientific reputation in the outside world."

He moved too quickly for Alphonse to follow, and once more the teen was drowning in a sea of shifting forms and unfocused color.

Alphonse closed his eyes, swimming in the swirling wake of contrasting tones. Then suddenly, the world went black. Alphonse's attention drifted with the quiet movements of the staff tending to the room.

He wasn't sure of how long he lay there, nor was he sure if he had fallen asleep.

What he was sure of was his mind was with Edward. For a flicker from behind closed lids he witnessed swirling red and in the center, Edward stood blindfolded before a painting. Two servants flanked him on either side, with Rudolph, and Gregor.

Noa, in a delicate dress was led up behind him. The dress was delicate, with a low-waisted petal pleated skirt. The silken material was embellished with lace and tiny pearls and very fine. A flowered crown adorned her head, and a long veil draped over her face and down her back. Her hair was sculpted in delicate curls and her dark skin was finely made up; making her look like one of those exotic dancers from the east.

How strange, it occurred to the boy, he was looking down at them, watching them parade into the passage behind the painting. Yet how could this be? With an effort, Alphonse opened his eyes, but there was no bed, no room, no Einstein: just the hall rimmed by red.

He had a strangely detached feeling. One he dimly recalled from his hazy past. It was like as if he were once more in an unfeeling body of steel.

Despite the fog holding him captive, Alphonse remembered. The armor bore his seal. He was seeing the world though its eyes.

Relaxing his body, Alphonse let his mind focus on the silent form standing in the hall across from the kitchen. His head was becoming rapidly clearer as his soul slipped further from his body.

Realization and fear filled him as Alphonse grasped he distantly felt the rise and fall of his chest. It vanished rapidly and was replaced by the stiff, unfeeling form of the armor near his painting.

The hall flashed into clear focus. It was quiet: the kitchen was locked. The only person he saw was Hans. He stood sentry at Alphonse's and Edward's bedroom door.

There was a faint racket. Slowly, Alphonse turned the helmet head toward Noa's room at the end of the hall. A woman exited, holding dirty linens. Hans gave her a nod. "Herr Elric will be living with the Roma now." He told her with a smile. "Is the room fit for the boy?"

The woman gave a weak smile. "It is clean, but Rudolph has ordered me not to move him in until later. The boy is sick."

"Humpf." Hans face twitched with disgust. Something Alphonse saw earlier that day. The man was angry with him, and Alphonse hadn't any clue to why. "The boy was busy last night, causing mischief," Hans began. "If you ask me both of them are more trouble than they are worth."

The woman walked by, her head shaking. "Alphonse seems sweet enough." She said. "I hope Professor Elric recovers soon. I hear he is ill as well, and that is why he is marrying Frau Noa."

Hans didn't respond. He watched her hips as they swayed down the hall. She was approaching the kitchen.

In his metal body, Alphonse stood deathly still, a part of him afraid she'd hear him breathing. A silly thought, since he didn't breathe at all in the armor. The woman paused in front of him, removed his head and opened the secret passage. She replaced his head, than looked over her shoulder. "I'll return in two and a half hours to finish the rooms. Enjoy your afternoon."

The door slipped shut behind her.

He had two and a half hours with only Hans on duty.

He could work with that. With an effort, Alphonse Elric redirected his thoughts to his body, and the rise and fall of his chest.

Once more the world clouded over with the twisted, distorted sensations of an opium-laden mind.

He had two hours to clear his head and to prepare for his planned escape.

Struggling to fight the impending dream, Alphonse Elric tried to concentrate on tunes. The low Creole tunes of bayou jazz rolled out in his imagination, bouncing carelessly among the blaze of black nothing threatening to drag his mind into oblivion. Yes, he had to focus, focus on what he needed to do. The music helped to soothe him, and he could hear its sweet horns and swaying beat. Yes, the instruments were clear: a piano, a saxophone, cornets, drums, a clarinet, a trombone, a base, and yes, the banjo. Each played in a delicate symphony of acoustic harmony. Its notes drew out his thoughts, allowing him to meditate.

Alphonse breathed, fighting the swirl of disjointed dreaming, recalling the warm tones of the trombone in contrast to the high pitched twang of Louis Armstrong's cornet.

Yes, his brain cleared now. He knew he had developed enough of a resistance to the drug that it was easier to function under its effects. Furrowing his brow, the boy opened his eyes.

A faint smile twitched his face. He had a plan. But first, he had to keep Hans busy enough not to notice what he was doing.

Clumsily, Alphonse climbed out of bed and stumbled across the room. Earlier, Hans had called him loose and insisted on him being dressed. He was wearing a pair of slacks, suspenders and a deep green long-sleeved shirt.

Meekly, he opened the door, peeking out, large eyes filling with apprehension. "Hans." He said in a soft childlike voice. "Can you get me a glass of water from the kitchen? I want ice too, and a snack. A sandwich with goose, and cheese, and a dash of pepper, with fresh cucumbers and…"

"I'm not your personal maid." Hans snapped, glaring at him, annoyed. "Can't you wait until the cook returns?"

Al widened his eyes and grabbed his stomach. "I'm just hungry and I feel so weak. If I could eat, maybe I'd feel a little stronger." He was sure his words were stilted. Alphonse was never a good liar. All he could go on was that he was a little hungry, and a goose cucumber sandwich would taste very good. "I'd get it myself, but I don't think I have the strength."

Hans rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right. Get back to bed, I'll get your snack." Feigning cheerfulness, Alphonse closed the door and counted to thirty. After a moment, he cracked it open to see Hans walking to the kitchen.

Good. The boy removed his arm from its sling and pressed his hands together, concentrating. Hans opened the kitchen door, and vanished inside, closing the door behind him.

Stone, wood and iron, the composition of the castle walls and the kitchen door were simple chemical equations. In his minds eye, Al directed his brain to the door knob and lock. Mentally he scrolled though the atomic data, and how he could manipulate it. Alphonse placed his hands on the wall, sending a charge of Alchemical energy though the stone walls to the door. With his mind, he twisted the matter of the lock, distorting the metal latch so that it caught in the lock when turned.

Hans wouldn't be able to open it when he tried to leave, leaving him effectively trapped in the kitchen long enough for Alphonse to do what he needed.

The task was effortless, and the boy felt a wash of triumph. He had forgotten how fun using Alchemy was. With a wry smile, Alphonse dashed across the hall to the library. All he needed now was one suit of armor.

And the library had many, even ones not in immediate sight, that could go easily unnoticed if necessary.

In no time, he found the one he wanted behind the bookshelves, guarding some of the antiquities cases. It was a tall medieval plate armor, with a sloping visor that looked like a beak.

Despite the cast, Alphonse planted his hands on his hips and studied the form. He wasn't sure how much power he had as a philosopher's stone; he suspected a great deal, but wanted to conserve it until it was time to escape and eventually heal Edward. The armor itself would be easy to animate and when it was time, eventually place his soul in.

It wasn't exactly what he imagined, but it would do. He needed an appropriate vessel to sneak about the castle. Even with Jack's help, he needed to know how secure the place was, know its layout, and find out where in Germany they were. This way, if Jack proved to be trouble, he could rescue them on his own.

Clapping his hands together, he touched the armor. Once more, he mentally analyzed the components he was manipulating, and twisted their atomic structure. The armor bore his seal already, but childish nostalgia drove him. He wanted a familiar form to move around and fight in.

Bright bolts of red energy bathed the form, the metal beneath his fingertips glowed in a red hue as it rippled, expanded, and contorted into a familiar barrel chested form. Its helm was squat with a jagged maw. It had a spike on the brow, and long tail of bleached horse hair dangled from the back of the head, giving it an exact likeness of what he had once remembered as his past life. It was an armored giant with an overwhelmingly encompassing appearance that towered over him by at least two and a half feet. He studied it, feeling suddenly frightened by the massive form. It was menacing, yet comforting at the same time, and hard for him to believe that once he lived within a similar leather and steel bound interior. Lifting a hand, he touched the cold unfeeling gauntlet aware that the fingers were so gigantic they'd swallow up his own.

"Hello, old friend." He smiled. "I need you for just a little while. I hope you don't mind."

The boy stepped back, carefully focusing his soul on the armor in front of him. Effortlessly he willed it to move. The armor clanked and eased itself from the stand it was mounted on. It's movements made a low metallic sound that was soft, like leather and steel rubbing against each other.

Alphonse lifted his hands, red energy crackling fire over his fingers. He could feel the power coursing though his veins, charging his cells with a wash of energy. Concentrating, he guided the armor past the bookshelves and across the gallery, to the main library doors.

It paused at his command and stood patiently. Joining it, Al felt a rush of excitement. He had to admit, sneaking about, getting away with mischief was fun. Especially when he had spent so much time lying around in bed, frightened of what abuse he had to endure next.

He cracked the door open, and peeked down the hall. It was quiet, Hans was likely still in the kitchen, making sandwiches. It wouldn't be long before he tried to open the door, and discovered it was jammed.

Narrowing his brow, Al returned his attention to the armor. He felt that strange detachment fill him as he once more took control over the behemoth's limbs.

He watched it walk down the hall, heavy feet stepping on the carpeted stone floor. If he concentrated he could almost see though its eyes and hear the soft steps of its metallic sabatons. There was a faint squeak from its joints, and Alphonse felt his stomach tighten. If Hans heard, it would be over with fast. The boy held his breath, as the suit strolled past the kitchen and turned to face the painting across from it.

The kitchen door rattled and Han's voice cursed.

Alphonse commanded the armor to activate the secret switch and open the door.

Thankfully, Hans was too busy swearing to hear the movement. There was a soft thudding against the kitchen door that told Alphonse he was now using his shoulder to force the lock. Taking advantage of the moment, the lad commanded the armor to vanish behind the secret door and close the passage behind it. Then abandoned his control over the suit and sprinted into the bedroom and lay in his bed.

After what felt like endless minutes, Hans stalked into his room, sharp gaze focusing on the boy. "Damn lock stuck." Hans said sharply. He studied Alphonse. "I made you damn sandwich."

Al carefully sat up in bed, eyeing the man as he crossed to his side and placed a plate and a glass on the bed stand. "The cook told me it jams all the time." Alphonse informed. Lying was becoming far easier now. It helped that Hans always talked down to him. "And Herr Harkness has complained about it too."

Hans winced at Jack's name and shrugged. "I bet he does. Now, don't bug me." Turning the man walked to the door. "If you want anything, get it yourself."

Irritable, the man slammed the door behind him. Exhaling, Alphonse slumped back in bed. He was lucky that time. Hans was rather self-absorbed. If he were like Jack, Alphonse would have never gotten away with what he had just done. A broad smile crossed his face, and the boy looked over to Einstein, who looked hungrily at his sandwich. "So far, so good," he said snapping his fingers cheerfully to the kitten. He picked a piece of the sandwich and tossed it to the animal. He was tired and weak, but not warn enough to abandon his mission. Besides, he was too excited not to continue.

"We'll eat lunch, then I have work to do, warn me if Hans decides to visit, ok Einstein?"

Chomping on some goose, the kitten made a purring sound and cocked its head. It was as if the animal understood, and Alphonse's instincts told him he could trust it. The bond between them was very strong.

Alphonse of course would use this to his advantage. He patted Einstein and tasted his lunch. The sandwich was good, and Hans seasoned the goose just right. He loved the bite of pepper in contrast to the salty cheese. Chewing thoughtfully, the teenager fidgeted in place and thought of his plan. He needed to keep his strength up. He still wasn't feeling well, even if his head was clearing. Fighting the gate had drained him, and only time would help him recover. Yet, he had no choice. Kaiser and his staff were distracted with the last minute wedding. With the armor, he would explore the castle and put his blood seal on the other suits of armor he came across that day

So he had to act now, come hell or high water. If he got his way, they were escaping in two nights.

&

How many times had he walked this hall with only the musty smells and hollow sounds to guide him? So many he had lost track, but enough to give him a basic idea of where to go. Alphonse crept along the dark, seemingly never-ending passage, listening for familiar sounds and trusting his direction sense when it came to direction choices.

He couldn't smell, or feel the cool touch of drafts he was used to. In the past such sensations helped him to discern direction. Sadly, being bound to the armor only allowed him two senses, hearing and sight.

So as not to give himself confusion or give himself away, he didn't make himself a light; rather he kept a large gauntlet on the wall, feeling for changes in depth and sound. It was a ploy he used in the past. To guide him, Alphonse exercised his mathematical skills as well as his understanding of how certain textures sounded on his steel and leather palm.

Although the corridor was dark for the most part, he occasionally came to spaces that were dimly lit by a window far above his head. It cast enough shadows on the stone wall for him to hide if necessary, and gave enough light for him to see when the hall turned or even or when it broke off into more than one passage.

By direction sense alone, Al knew how to get to the garden, which eliminated that route altogether. Following his gut, or what he could conceive as his gut, Alphonse crept down the hall, listening very carefully for voices and searching for signs of false walls. His exploration took him down a set of spiral stairs and down a narrow passage, then it split. He chose the right, rather than the left. If his logic was right, the right went deeper into the castle, where the left would keep him in the tower he, Edward and Noa lived in.

For an undetermined amount of time he wandered a maze of corridors. Fortunately, he recognized some of the turns from the day Kaiser had his arm broken, but other than that, everything looked alike; stone walls, stone floor and rows of lamps. His only hope was he saw few cobwebs and little dust, which meant the passage was well traveled. Still, he'd have to return to the library soon, and he felt a pang of despair.

The hallway stretched out as if it were following a long straight wall, unlike the zigzag passages that seemed to skirt around individual rooms. If he listened, he heard muffled voices passing by. The boy paused, gauntlet fingers trailing down the bumpy stone. The sound was different; softer, no longer rough, and bumped his fingers. The texture changed. It sounded more like stucco than stone, and he easily scraped though it. He tapped it lightly. The sound was hollow, like plywood.

A false panel; his hope returned and Alphonse explored the wall with his eyes. It also looked newer, as if it had been replaced relatively recently.

Walking over, he noted a tiny sliding door. Carefully he moved it, revealing two eye slots. A flicker of excitement washed over him. When he stared though the slots, he saw a hallway lit by glowing lamps. The walls and ceiling were ornate, with gilded columns and high gothic vaulting. Arched stained glass windows adorned the hall, casting the sun's warm rays into a rainbow of pale light across the floor. Between each window was a wall with a painting or a weapon (swords or maces for the most part, but occasionally, Alphonse noticed a shield with the Kaiser family crest).

He couldn't see where the hall went, in either direction, but he did hear the faint murmur of voices.

If he had breath, he would have held it. Backing away from the wall, Alphonse searched the passage. There had to be an opening somewhere. It was a matter of finding it.

Every ten feet gas lamps hung on metal hooks. Each one sat stationary on what looked like a large stone. After further examination Alphonse determined each brick was indeed hard, and scraped against his gauntlet with the same sound as the bricks further down the tunnel. They were set in dark mortar, expertly laid probably four hundred years ago, and maintained to the present date. Only one brick, with the only lampless hook, appeared to have loose mortar around it, and stucco wall beside it. It was longer than the others and oddly shaped. Alphonse examined it, metal fingers touching the hook. Thoughtful, he tested how secure it was. It wobbled.

His first impulse was to open the secret door but he chose to check the hall instead. It was clear, and from what he could tell, the false wall opened up, not in the main hall, but in an alcove. Unfortunately the slots didn't give him a full view of the hall, and he was forced to assure himself no one was in the immediate vicinity.

It was risky, but Edward needed him. Alphonse yanked down the switch, and watched the wall roll around and stop. A suit of armor stood stiffly in front of him. Fortune was still with him. He depressed the lever twice, sending the armor around into place, then back into the passageway. This time, letting the wall revolve him into the hallway.

"I know you are angry about this, dear, but we are here for Edward." A woman's voice said, dangerously close.

Alphonse cursed and listened as he became aware of footfalls closing in. A couple passed by, a tall man, and a smaller, light brown haired woman, he recognized from Munich. Motionless, he watched as the man with Hughes' face and Edward's former landlady passed by. He felt nostalgia wash over him, happy to see Hughes alive, and even happier to see him with the woman who looked just like Gracia, Hughes' widow. If only they were. It was difficult for him not to signal the couple, or jump out and beg them for help. Alphonse knew deep inside, even if they wore their faces, Alter Hughes and Alter Gracia were not his friends in Amestris. He tightened his fists, and watched sadly as they walked by.

"I'm worried, not angry." Alter Hughes snapped sharply. His voice was filled with concern. He was dressed in a brown cotton suit with a red bow tie. They were not wealthy, it was probably his best clothing, even if it appeared a little worn when Alphonse looked closely. "I know in the past, I disapproved of Noa, but she proved herself. I want them to be happy…"

"It's Gustave, isn't it?" Gracia toyed with the silver chain of her small handbag. Like Alter Hughes she was dressed in her best clothing, which consisted of a longer than knee length pleated blue skirt and white blouse. "Was he with the Thule society, is that how you know him."

Hughes looked thoughtful. He paused before Alphonse and checked his watch. "We have five minutes before the ceremony." He shook his head. He dabbed the back of his head, frustration wrinkling his brow. "We were friends long enough for me to recognize what a classist bastard he was. I just wished Edward had discussed it with me before he decided to work for the man. I'm sure he would have had reservations if he knew the sort he was."

Gracia sighed, arm wrapping about his. Was that an engagement ring on her finger? Over the last few months, they must have broken the ice between them. "I am happy you broke from them, they frightened me. But I'm sure Edward can take care of himself." She turned him around, directing their walk back toward where they came.

Their footfalls softly echoed in the marble hall. "I don't know. The boy looks ill…" The German policeman's voice trailed behind him. "I just hope he will listen to reason at the reception."

Their words faded as they vanished from sight. Alphonse relaxed, feeling a pang of guilt. His heart wanted to trust them, but he couldn't take the chance, not here. There was far too much to explain. Shifting carefully, he quietly crept to the edge of the alcove. The hall yawned out in two directions. To the left he saw it opened up to a main stairwell and a large foyer. To the right, it appeared to go to a set of large mahogany double doors. His instinct told him Hughes' and Gracia's Alters were walking toward the chapel and in the other direction was the Kaiser's office. He recalled walking up a set of stairs as well as a draft similar to what one would get to an entrance or foyer.

If he was correct, Alphonse Elric knew the way out.

No one was in the hall, and so far, the guards on duty were likely in the chapel and near the entrance. Kaiser was doing his best not to make the place look like a prison.

The boy prayed his luck would remain. Alphonse stepped away, and studied the hall, mentally noting each alcove and the armor standing within. The hall had twelve suits of medieval plate armor, four feet apart. Between each of them was a three-foot wall, with portrait of a different person.

He had very little time now. Alphonse focused his mind, and concentrated. He'd have to place his blood seal on each armor, but he wanted to do them all at the same time. It was a difficult task, but the power inside of him and seeing the truth gave him the insight and strength to do it.

He quietly clapped his hands together, forming Oroborous, than shaped the image of rust and iron twisting into the atomic elements necessary for blood. Forming the seal was effortless.

In a faint flash of red a seal appeared on each suit's back and Alphonse felt a connection form with the armor. It was time to go back. He'd return later that night, using one of the armors in the hall to finish his work.

Satisfied he slipped back to the alcove, and depressed the lever. A moment later he was swiveling around back into the dark passageway he had come from.

&&&&&&


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 19

Wedding Blues

Edward.

He was dreaming. Of course; he had to be because he stood facing Father Cornello, with Rose staring glazed eyed next to him in a white dress. Edward Elric had this odd floating feeling and he felt the world tilting around him as he looked around. Was that Hughes, Gracia and Roy he saw? That was impossible of course, he was in hell, and they were home…

Kaleidoscope landscapes drifted across his vision as he turned to his bride, realizing she reminded him of someone else. Her name was on the tip of his tongue, yet it refused to come to him, as he looked deep into her sad dark eyes. He knew he cared for her, perhaps too profoundly. His head tilted and his brow furrowed. His mind was blank, like the gate had wiped it away, making him a clean slate just for the sake of tormenting him.

The Alchemist found himself kissing her, mind racing though the assortment of feelings rushing at him. Winry? Was it Winry? No, not Winry… Alfons, was it him? Yes, he loved Alfons, or so it was what he thought he felt, but he was too frozen inside to express it. But wasn't that true with anyone he cared for? He tried to drive Winry away, hiding his life from her in order to keep her from really knowing who he was. She deserved so much better…

Only one person knew him, and that was Al. Al was the only being in his life he felt safe with. They shared their sins, for they both walked the same path. Al was his hope and shed light in the dark world. They were two sides of the same coin, inseparable souls, born out of the blood of their sins. Brothers, and soulmates, destined to be intertwined for the rest of eternity. That was the profound truth that Al was unable to see in the end. They were a philosophers' stone because of their very bond to each other. In the end, they were two bodies with one soul, a soul with two distinct independent halves, woven together because of fate and childish foolishness.

He pulled away, seeing the woman's face, realizing there was one other who knew him just as much as Al. Noa; and it was Noa who watched him though fogged eyes. She read his mind. She knew the depths of his sins, yet she never ran. She welcomed his hurt with open arms, and he accepted her, for they both were outcasts, with no home, only each other.

And here he was, drowning in her gaze, struggling to understand why he was there, kissing her and chaining her free spirit to his tainted soul.

Wasn't he dying?

Cornello said something, and organ music boomed, blotting out his thoughts until he found himself elsewhere.

Colors and swirling cloth distorted in a blaze of rainbow fire as he struggled to comprehend what had just happened. "Kaiser is dangerous." Someone said to him, though he was not entirely sure whom. The world blurred in and out of focus and faded into shifting prismatic light each a fleeting memory. "Edward, are you listening?"

"Herr Elric is very ill." It was Envy, Edward squinted, gaze shifting on a man, who did not resemble the dark haired homunculus at all. Yet something inside of him screamed that thing was there, leering at him wickedly. "Kaiser did explain? Did he not?"

Edward felt a hand on his as it pulled him away, just as he realized the man who had been talking was Hughes. He felt desperation rise; there was something he wanted to tell his friend, but he couldn't remember. He tried to cry out, hand reaching for the ghost as it vanished into an explosion of white.

He must have collapsed. He wasn't sure. His head ached and when he opened his eyes, he was staring at the canopy above his bed, with the Kaiser looking down at him smug. "I commend you, Herr Elric, you did well today." He said in an agonizingly painful booming voice. "You even fainted, showing your poor health!" He brought his hands together, thin smile broadening. "How do you feel now?"

"Fuck off." Edward licked his lips, voice cracking from dryness. He rolled his gaze, focusing on Noa who sat at the edge of the bed, slender form dressed in a loose see-through silk crepe camisole with matching French drawers. On her finger were two rings, one an ornate golden band and the other a large diamond.

Edward fought the wave of disgust filling him. Kaiser had her dressed like a whore. With an effort, he mustered all his anger, balled up a fist, and thrust a punch at the Kaiser. The blow was weak, and the Kaiser easily deflected it and carelessly pushed him back into bed. Dizziness assailed him, blotting out his vision, consciousness threatening to escape him.

Kaiser laughed. "Ahh, you are your difficult self, I see." He placed his hands on his hips. "The medication is wearing off. I trust you understand you must cooperate or you will be drugged once more."

Now he understood. He had been drugged for most of the day, doing whatever the Kaiser wanted. Edward's gut tightened and frustration wrinkled his brow. He dropped his gaze to the gold band on his left hand, his wedding ring. He was hoping to at least remember what had happened. "That's not necessary. " He said bitterly. "You didn't make me look too much like a wuss... No one will take me seriously."

Kaiser's gaze became cold. "I didn't need to do a thing, Herr Elric. It is obvious, by just looking at you, that death is only around the corner."

Well, he couldn't argue that, nor did he want to. Brushing his hair from his eyes, Edward looked around the room. It was clean, and Noa's belongings were sitting on the coffee table and he saw no sign of Alphonse's things. "Al…"

"Resting in the other room." Kaiser explained. He patted Noa on the shoulder and gestured to Edward. "We can't have him intruding on your special night!"

What a mockery. Edward struggled to sit up but his head spun and every time he moved he felt this heavy aching throb threaten to black him out. With an effort, he pulled himself to an elbow, and closed a hand around a blanket. Gently, he placed it around Noa's shoulders. "If you are so worried about intrusion, than why are you here?"

Shyly, Noa's gaze shifted to Edward. Her features were pale and lost, yet she had control enough to wrap her arms around the blanket embarrassment crossing her face. For her sake, he had to get Kaiser out of there.

"To make sure you understand what you are expected to do." Kaiser explained. He tapped his arm with long fingers and chuckled. "Of course, if you need anything to assist you in this important matter, just let me know, and I will send for it." He gestured to Noa, his face suddenly serious. "The woman should be very compliant with you, Herr Elric. I have made sure she will not argue. At least there are some uses for Roma!"

Noa was still drugged. It explained why she was so passive. The bastard. Drawing in a breath, Edward pointed to the door. It took all his will not to strike the man. "Just, just get out of here!"

Kaiser waved a hand, nodding his head cheerfully. "Very well, who am I to interfere with two love birds? Enjoy your evening, Herr Elric." He turned and strolled out, features content as he closed the door behind him.

"Son of a bitch!" Edward grunted, folding his arms. Love birds his ass. Edward sneered, hitting the mattress annoyed. He was sick of being helpless, and sick of seeing those he cared for played with like dolls. "He's more annoying than Roy." He missed Roy that was for certain. If the flame Alchemist were there, he'd help them and flambé the Kaiser. He flopped back down on the bed, rolling over to his side so he could get a good view of Noa.

The woman sat motionless, arms wrapped about her blanket. Tears filled her eyes as she breathed in. Her breath trembled. "So, Edward. What are we to do now?" She asked, voice haunted. "You are my husband."

Husband? He hadn't really thought about it. Awkwardly, Edward touched her hand. It was his fault Kaiser had shamed her. "You may have the bed." He said softly to her. "And I have a robe, if you'd like. As your husband, I am responsible for your welfare, we do not need to sleep together."

She looked down at him, wiping tears from her eyes. "Is it that simple for you? How can you say you are my husband when it is against your will?"

There was no simple answer, just the sense of responsibility. Edward looked away. "It is, but it has been done, the laws of this place mean something to me, now that I am here." Edward shook his head and gave a soft laugh. "The Kaiser's wishes mean nothing to me." He added. "Your wishes do though." With the back of his hand, he touched her cheek and brushed hair from her mouth. She was beautiful. It wasn't the first time he'd noticed, but beauty was never important to him. It objectified people, and someone like Noa should never be objectified. "Please take the bed and sleep off the effects of the drug they gave you."

Gathering the blanket around her, Noa came to a stand, legs wobbling. "You are ill, Edward. I can't take your bed from you."

"The sofa is not soft." Edward told her firmly. How many nights had she half slept there when he was at his worst? "You deserve better." At least he could try and pay her back. Carefully he sat up, and leaned over so his hand closed about her pale wrist. With a gentle tug, he urged her to sit back down, this time on the bed beside him. She was dazed still, and it would take some time before she came to herself. Kaiser must have planned it that way, in case Noa was resistant. "What did he do to you, Noa? Did he hurt you?" Edward asked. He eased himself out from the covers and placed them neatly over her. When satisfied she was completely covered, he removed the blanket she was holding and held it in his arms. He would need it.

Noa dragged in a sob, and looked away. "He dressed me. That is all Edward. He told me to please you and implied I was a whore. He did not touch me in any other way. Noa closed her fingers around his own, and pressed them to her cheek. Carefully, she lay beside him, tears trickling on to his palm.

She was a caged bird. His hate for the Kaiser grew. Edward grit his teeth and exhaled. "Son of a bitch. When I get well, he will pay with his life."

"Edward, I am not worth you murdering a man," she said, looking away.

She knew he hated killing, and was hurt by his sudden threat. Edward looked down at her confused. "You are worth defending." Slowly he edged away, bare feet touching the cold floor, He was in his nightshirt again, and a pair of boxers. "The bed is yours, Noa. I will sleep in my chair tonight."

Shaking her head, Noa split the blankets so the sheet lay on top of her body, and smoothed it so it was flat on Edward's side of the bed. "We will bundle." She told him carefully. "You need sleep, and you don't sleep well in that chair, nor is it warm enough for you. Sleep on top of the sheet. I trust you will not touch me."

Edward heaved a breath, not looking forward to the stiff back of his chair. Noa spoke with determination and he realized she was not going to budge on the matter. She knew him well and trusted him not to do anything to her. His body did ache enough for him to consider her offer. Sleeping his chair would make it impossible for him to move in the morning. Edward Elric sighed. "Noa."

She gave him a weak smile. "I am more frightened of invading your mind, Edward. You deserve your own privacy." She explained. "But if we don't touch, I won't read your thoughts. And I will not take no for an answer!"

Who was he to argue? Edward wrapped himself in the blanket and then hunkered down next to Noa, who placed the rest of the blankets over him. "I have never bundled with a woman." He said softly, feeling a hint of embarrassment.

She didn't appear phased. "Alfons told me you kicked in your sleep." Noa smiled weakly. Edward felt his face warm. He had forgotten about that. It was a pleasant memory one he didn't mind Noa knowing.

Edward closed his eyes, feeling sleep tug at his brain. "And he used to talk, more than Al, too!"

He waited for her reply, but heard nothing but the soft inhaling and exhaling of her breath. She had fallen asleep.

Edward sighed. Having her near by was comforting; far better than sleeping in the cold on that damned couch! Besides, he needed to sleep too... With that thought he just let go, and drifted away.

&&&

Edward Elric was startled awake by a gasp. Flaring his eyes open, he saw Noa, leaning over, knees drawn up as she buried her head in her hands. A deep sob trembled from her lips. She looked frail and frightened.

"Is everything alright?" he asked, despising how weak he sounded. Exhaustion filled his voice and he was achy. Yet all in all, the same as he had been every morning. He was getting used to it now. With an effort he sat up, hand touching her back. Since they had arrived, she had never shown any grief. He wasn't used to seeing her curled knees up, like a lost little girl.

The woman wailed and jerked away from him. Dragging the blankets with her, she stumbled out of the bed, looking at him with dark tormented eyes. "You must not touch me, Edward," she said, trembling. "Please." She looked away, tears streaking her face. She looked fragile to him, like a bird with a broken wing. "I can't share a bed with you." She said softly, "I still see your dreams."

Numbness spread though him and he couldn't help but ask himself what he did wrong. She appeared overwhelmed. Had she read his dreams again? Yet he didn't recall his dreams being very disturbing. Rather, they were muddled and disjointed like broken glass on the floor. Than why was she upset? Edward cocked his head, scientific mind racing. "Did you have a vision?" he asked, trying to make his voice sympathetic rather than guilty.

Noa hugged herself, and looked away from him. She pressed her lips together, unable to meet his gaze. "It's getting worse, Edward." She said softly. "Sometimes, I forget who I am, I am so involved in what I see, and yet, the images are so scrambled, and the feelings so overwhelming I don't know how to escape them or what to do…"

Noa's psychic ability was growing, and she wasn't able to keep up with the changes. Edward climbed out of bed and circled the bed to her side. He wasn't sure what to do actually. She didn't want him to touch her, and he was no good at giving comforting words. Awkwardly he looked at her. "Noa."

Sniffling, she wiped her eyes. "It's all right, Edward."

"It's not all right." He said softly, "I'm worried about you."

The words came out and Edward could hear his own frustration in them. He sighed and looked down. In truth, he had no idea how she felt or what to do. There were scant options where Noa was concerned. She hated being touched, and rarely wanted to burden him with her thoughts. In fact, she was in painfully many ways as tight lipped and stubborn as he was. Now that her powers were eating her away, she was unable to trust him as he would have wanted. If he was feeling better, he would have offered to work with her in the lab to find a way for her to control his brainwaves. At least, it was a theory they could research and it would give them something to do. It would also give her some hope, and he spent his entire life running on hope. "I can't fix it."

Noa hefted the blankets around her up and weakly smiled. "My dear Edward, only one person can fix it." The tears riming her eyes sparkled. She failed to meet his gaze, and he suspected she had something on her mind.

Edward felt an overwhelming cloud of sadness settle between them. He didn't understand what she was saying. "Noa."

"I will be all right, Edward." She replied softly and turned to the bathroom. "I will wash up, you take care of yourself and don't worry about me."

She had shut him out, just like that. The young man watched guiltily. She closed the door, leaving him alone in the room. Edward heaved a breath. Not that he was interested in being married, but as Noa's husband he was responsible for her happiness. His feelings were conflicted on the matter. He shook his head, tying to figure out the woman, and decided she'd tend to herself, or it seemed to him, that it was what she wanted to do.

The Alchemist gave a sigh, and scratched his head. It was difficult letting go, and he didn't like it. He heard the bath running and Noa opened the door a crack. "Will you please fetch me some clothing Edward? A heavy skirt, a blouse and a sweeter, please."

Taking no time, Edward went to her luggage and leafed though her clothing until he located the proper garments. "I hope these will do." He said making his way to her. He handed her the clothing and got an approving smile.

"You have been very kind, Edward Elric. If I had to be married to anyone, I am happy it is you."

He felt his cheeks warm as Noa ducked back into the bathroom. Once more, he could give no response. She didn't seem bothered at all to be married to him. Puzzled, Edward shuffled over to his desk, and sat heavily down. Absently he flipped though his notebook and studied the arrays and work he had done so far.

There was a faint knock at the door, drawing his attention. He wasn't ready for visitors. "Yes?"

"It's me, Alphonse…"

The sound of his brother's voice brought him to a stand. He grabbed his robe from the closet, and walked to the door. Slowly he opened it to see Al standing with Hans looking down at him disapprovingly. Edward gave the thug a glare. It appeared, the man had not allowed his brother to enter, as if he was a stranger or perhaps interrupting something? "Since when is my brother not welcome in my room?" Edward demanded. He waved Alphonse in and slammed the door in Han's face before the man could answer.

He turned to the boy, studying him. With his cast arm hanging in its sling, he was still flushed, with circles around his wide eyes, but a huge smile covered his young face. He looked wired. Alphonse Elric grabbed Edward's shoulders and shook them excitedly. "Brother! I did it!"

Shaking his head, Edward regarded Alphonse with concern. The boy was excited, yes, but he looked downright awful. "You look terrible, Al, have you been up all night?" He touched the boy's head with the back of his hand. "And you still have a fever…"

Alphonse batted the hand away. He was practically bouncing when he led Edward over to the couch. "That is unimportant, Brother." Excitement filled his words. "I made several successful Soul transmutations last night. I can now spy on the Kaiser and his men!"

Now, that was reason to bounce. Edward Elric lifted a brow. Alphonse had been busy. He couldn't help but feel a little envious; he missed that thrill of getting away with something, yet he forced it away and patted Alphonse's shoulder. He was proud of the boy. "Heh," he gave a huge smile. "I guess trouble runs in the family. Good work Al."

Einstein jumped on to the arm of the couch, startling Edward. He hadn't noticed the animal coming in, but assumed he slipped in past Hans. Alphonse picked up the kitten and placed him on his shoulder. It settled down on to its haunches and toyed with the fabric of his sling. "I marked most of the armor in the halls near the entrance and near the Kaiser's office." Alphonse explained. "If I concentrate I can hear and see through them."

Edward smirked, folding his arms. He had to give Alphonse a great deal of credit. It was certainly clever and something he wouldn't have thought of. "And you used your seal for that? Soul Alchemy?"

Folding his arms, Alphonse nodded. His face suddenly became very serious. "Brother, I can place pieces of my soul in places now. I'm not completely attached to this body." He explained. "I know soul alchemy is taboo."

Edward shrugged. He was concerned, but over the last few days, he had learned there were things about Al that he had to deal with. The nature of his unusual soul was one of those things. Not to mention the uses for it the boy would come up with. "Who am I to argue, as long as you are staying away from resurrecting the dead."

A long stiff silence followed and Edward saw Al lower his head, free hand forming a fist. Tears filled his eyes and spilled down his cheeks. The boy understood exactly what he meant. "Don't worry Brother, I won't ever do that to you."

The comment was never meant to hurt Al. Edward exhaled. Al hadn't had any sleep, and he always got all weepy when he was overtired. Just like when they were kids, some things just never changed. "I know you won't, Al." The young man lifted the boy's chin and wiped his face with his edge of his robe's sleeve. "Hey, so what's the Kaiser doing now eh?"

The enthusiasm returned to Al features. "The Kaiser?" He asked, and looked across the room. For a moment his gaze got distant. "Talking on the phone." He said; his voice eerily haunted. "Something about increasing security for the Ball he plans on New Years Eve." He turned his attention back to Edward and came to his feet. The bounced returned and the boy danced in place. "Incredible isn't it?!"

There was no arguing that. "Damn, I trust you are watching the staff, finding out when there are breaks in the security, and where people are located and at what times…"

"Of course, Brother." Al offered a mischievous grin. He planted his hand on his hips. "With luck, we will be able to leave tomorrow night."

"Tomorrow night?" Edward failed to hide the surprise in his voice. What was Al thinking? "Isn't that short notice?? I thought we were going to leave New Years Eve."

Al shook his head, hand scratching Einstein behind the ears. The kitten bumped his fingers purring. "They're increasing security," he explained. "It won't work, and I don't want to risk anyone getting hurt. No, tomorrow is our best bet. If we wait, things will be in an uproar for the party. I don't want to risk it."

Standing, Edward folded his arms, and studied the boy. There was no stopping Al once he put his mind to something. Edward just wasn't sure if he liked being on the losing end of Elric stubbornness. Yet the idea of leaving soon was consolation. He felt better that day, and if they were lucky, he'd continue to feel better. To wait might mean a lapse in his health that would cost them. "All right, Al." He sighed. "We'll do it your way. I trust you."

Alphonse went to reply when the door opened, and Hans entered, followed by Gregor. The two men looked smug, like they were up to something unpleasant. It made the hairs stand up on the back of Edward's neck. "All right kid," Hans began, with a wicked smile. He removed a thin black bag from his jacket pocket and waved it. "Time for your medicine."

Medicine? Edward wrinkled his nose and gritted his teeth in revulsion. It certainly wouldn't be long before Al was an addict, if he wasn't already. He watched his brother turn to Hans, defiance in his gaze. "It's not necessary." He told the man firmly. "I feel fine now." He pointed to his sling arm. "It only aches a little."

The large security guard regarded the boy with little patience and Edward realized he was sizing him up, incase of a conflict. Gregor circled them, smiling wickedly at Edward as he did so. "Professor Elric, if you don't mind, tell your brother to behave."

Apparently, they had not forgiven him for the other night. They still wanted a fight. Edward side glanced Alphonse who appeared to be weighing the situation. "I will NOT tell my brother to let himself become an addict!" Edward announced. Protectively, he stepped closer to the boy, maneuvering him so he was behind him and Edward was between Hans and Gregor. "You will have to go through me, to get to him." The Fullmetal Alchemist offered a wicked smile, balling his fists and indicating Hans and Gregor's bruises from the previous night. "I have more than enough fight in me to give you a few more bruises…"

The guards exchanged glances. They looked hesitant. After all, they couldn't hurt him, not if he were to perform properly in bed. He had an edge.

He was surprised when Alphonse stepped forward. "Brother, it's all right," he said softly. He faced Edward, hand dropping on his automail arm. "You're still sick; reserve your strength, Ok? I don't want to see you hurt."

"God damn it, Al! You don't need to do this!" Edward objected, grabbing for the boy's arm but found Alphonse slipping from his grasp and walking over to Hans. He obediently rolled up his sleeve, revealing an arm covered with needle marks.

The sight wrenched Edward's stomach and he suddenly felt ill. Had he been so sick he hadn't realized how often Al had been drugged? "No, Al!" He went to spring after his brother, but found his automail arm grasped behind his back and an arm around his neck as Gregor seized him from behind.

Hans took Alphonse by the arm.

"I don't want to do this here." Alphonse protested. He squirmed, wriggling his arm in an attempt to wrench it free of Hans. "My room, ok, I need to be there…"

"What? You don't want him to see how his little slut brother likes being doped up?"

Slut? Edward froze thinking about Hans' words. He was referring to the other night of course. Somehow, they had gotten it in their minds Alphonse had…With Jack. Furry filled him with an explosion of energy. He clawed at the arm holding his neck. "YOU MOTHER FUCKING PERVERT! Get your goddamned brain out of the gutter! My brother is no one's slut!"

Alphonse looked at him helplessly. The boy had the power to stop both Hans and Gregor in their tracks, yet the timing of their escape was so vital that he had to sit fast and let them humiliate him. Edward's heart slammed against his chest as his anger made his struggles frantic.

"Don't listen to them brother, he's just trying to piss you off!" Alphonse called back.

Piss him off, yeah right, well they were succeeding. What did Al expect him to do? Again he wrenched at his arms, trying to free them from the hold Gregor had on him. Damn Kaiser for having hired men built like gorillas and strong as elephants. All he could do was strain, and watch and swear his fucking head off. Which he did.

Behind him, the door to the bathroom opened, and Noa stepped out. Stunned, she stood motionless and Ed wondered if she was frightened or just overwhelmed by the fury of emotions assaulting her senses.

Alphonse closed his eyes as Hans tied a rubber tube around his arm and searched for a vein. "I'm not trying. Brat, I think I am succeeding." Hans said. Carefully, he removed the syringe from its case, and jabbed it rather roughly into Alphonse's arm.

He then came to a stand, hand dropping on Al's head. "If I were you Professor Elric, I would lock him in his room and keep him from your wife!" Chuckling, he walked by, mocking features straying to Edward triumphantly.

Only after Hans was out the door did Gregor let him go. Spinning around, Edward's automail fist, just about cracked into Gregor's face, when someone grabbed him, and pulled him back.

"No! Edward!" It was Noa, her soft arms and body pressed into his, pulling him away from the man as he smugly vanished out the door. "You are only giving them what they want." She whispered. "Don't be a fool! Alphonse needs you now."

Feeling a wash of embarrassment, Edward pulled away. The woman looked at him with anguish in her eyes. Touching him was difficult for her. She must have sensed the battle going on inside of his body. A battle, he deduced from the expression on her face, he was losing. Putting a hand though his hair, Edward gave the woman a stiff laugh. "Got a little carried away didn't I? They get to me, you know."

Noa weakly smiled, arms wrapping about his chest. "I know they get to you."

Looking towards Alphonse, Edward swallowed. "Jack, he's not that kind of a prick." He explained. "He likes Al. These guys don't…"

On the couch, Al rolled down his sleeve, gaze following Edward as he walked to his side. Edward licked his lips, finding them parched as he sat down beside the boy. "You're an idiot, you know that, Al?" He said fondly, brushing the boy's tangled bangs from his face. "How can you do any alchemy doped out of your head? Hmmm?"

The boy inhaled, leaning against his shoulder. He looked tired, perhaps the drug would let him sleep. "It will wear off." He said softly. "And you have to remember, I was doped out of my head yesterday. I managed."

Edward let out a trembling breath, studying his brother's face. Gently, his hand fell to the boy's arm and pushed up the sleeve. His inability to act had caused this. "How many times are you going to sacrifice yourself for me, Al?"

"I still have an arm and a leg brother." Alphonse rubbed his arm. An ugly black bruise formed where Hans injected him. "As far as I'm concerned, I have a lot more to give."

He felt his heart lurch. Edward turned the boy's face and stared deep into his dark golden eyes. His senses were starting to fade. "Alphonse, don't be a fool," he said firmly. "I need you whole."

He felt the couch shift as Noa sat down beside him, Einstein in her arms, as he watched with moist cheeks. Her lips trembled.

"I love you brother, but sometimes, you are blind." Alphonse giggled, looking down. He patted Edward on the leg and snuggled closer to him. He was still warm, the fever, Edward suspected, was still there and going strong. "Don't let Hans get to you, I am not addicted. When Jack is here, he doesn't drug me. It breaks up my doses enough to prevent me from becoming addicted."

Unable to reply, Edward stared at the boy. He should have remembered what Jack had promised on Christmas, but he had been so caught up in the wedding he had forgotten. He had gotten all stressed out over nothing. Now he felt stupid. Well, sort of, any excuse to deck Hans and Gregor was a good one, even if it was wrong. Edward's face flushed and he dropped a hand to Al's head. He stroked it gently, seeing the mind behind Alphonse's gaze fade. The boy didn't fight because he had nothing to lose. "I feel like an idiot." Edward said aloud, side glancing Noa.

She shrugged. "On occasion, Edward Elric, you are…" 


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 20

Escape

Jack

Stepping into the Kaiser's office, Jack Harkness couldn't shake the feeling he was being watched. It wasn't an uncomfortable feeling, just the gnawing instinct of a trained soldier and agent that something was certainly amiss. He looked around himself; the armor, the coat of arms

hanging on the wall, the paintings, nothing seemed out of the ordinary and in the 1920s they didn't have technology advanced enough to plant listening devices. And it wasn't one of his people. He was sure of that.

The Kaiser sat at his desk, hand absently spinning the globe next to it. There was a mountain of papers on his desk, and several unopened envelopes in the wooden tray on the corner.

He had to hand it to the man; Kaiser was a professional

procrastinator, yet, some how he got things done. Standing in the doorway, Jack waited for the man to take notice and wave him in. "Why good afternoon, Herr Harkness!" Kaiser said cheerfully. "I am glad you got my message!"

"Kaiser." Jack nodded, strolling up to his desk. A message be barely got because he had spent the last few hours running around Munich arranging a safe house, getting train tickets, and making arrangements to go over seas to England. Alphonse Elric's request was keeping him

on his toes and out of the apartment. "My day off, you know. What did you want to see me about?"

Standing up, Kaiser circled his desk, sharp black eyes focusing on Jack's nonchalant stance. "I was talking with Hans." He said, voice becoming strangely suspicious. He straightened his double-breasted jacket and shoved his hands in his pockets as he circled. "He tells me you are soft on the Elric boy."

Rolling his eyes, Jack folded his arms, exasperation crossing his features. "Jesus, and you believe him? Hans is a god damned idiot."

Kaiser stopped walking, standing nose to nose with Jack. His brow narrowed and his mouth became a thin line. "An idiot you say? How so?"

Kaiser gestured with a hand. "I would call him ambitious, but not an idiot."

Keeping his cool, Jack held the Kaiser's gaze for a very long time before answering. "Ambitious in a stupid way, you mean. He'd do anything to get what he bloody well wants, including lying to make himself look good. So what did he say?"

The Kaiser considered this, and started to pace. "That is what I like about you Jack, right to the point! Hans claims you slept with the Elric boy. That he caught you and the child in the hall, leaving the Professor's lab. Is this true?"

Oh yea, Hans did have a case of diarrhea of the mouth. The problem was, if he disagreed, poor Al would be dragged down to the Kaiser's office and found out. Then where would they be? Ed and Noa would be hostages, and Al a weapon against the Kaiser's and Thule Society's

enemies. Jack shook his head, mind racing fast. "Swell, that's just friggin swell." He threw his hands up, disgust washing over his face. "Did he also mention how he pounded the crap out of Herr Elric?"

The Kaiser lifted a brow. "He said he was attacked." He returned to his desk, shoved the paper work aside and put his feet on the desk. "Are you telling he wasn't?"

Jack snorted. "Figures; he taunted him, and you know how short fired the Professor is." He leaned over, hands pressing on the desk. "Ok, look, I took the kid to the lab, let him do a little work. He's damned determined to get some results, so you won't send him off to school." Jack explained quickly. "I dosed him on time, and he got all loopy. Ok?"

Inhaling, the Kaiser leaned back, his chair squeaking from the weight of his body. He was considering Jack's story. "I see. Loopy, how do you mean loopy?"

Jack waved a dismissive hand. "He got all hopped up, and took his clothes off, ok." He hated doing this to Al but he had to distract the Kaiser from the fact the boy actually had results and the fact that he was hiding them.

The Kaiser looked amused. He gave a soft chuckle and shook his head. "You mean the boy likes you?"

Jack paused, and straightened his tie. "In a manner, but he was stoned. You know kids; they don't mean anything when they're doped up. Al, he's harmless. He's attention starved…"

"And you are saying he is looking to you for that attention?" Kaiser tapped his fingers together, face unreadable. "Interesting."

"Hans just wants to get me canned so he can get my pay." Jack continued, his voice disapproving. "In truth, you'd get more out of Elric if you treat him civilly. Same thing with the kid, and Hans just makes things worse, with the way he treats both of them."

"And you treat them differently?" Kaiser asked, curious. He placed his feet on the floor, and leaned his elbows on his desk. "Please, Jack, I am merely curious. I like you; you are frank, to the point and have mind enough to question my orders when they don't make sense to you. I

admire that. In many ways, it was you that made me aware of how gifted young Alphonse is. Perhaps it should be you who shall accompany him to his new boarding school?"

Damn, talk about handing the boy over on a silver platter. All he needed to do was grab the kid and run, easy as that, his mission would be over in a week. The problem was, Edward. Sure the older boy had a few weeks at best to survive, but he was still a problem.

Jack rubbed his chin, trying to deny the fact that he liked the Elric boys and Noa. They were good people, and didn't deserve to be caught up in this whole mess. So how could he have his cake and eat it too? "Yes, I treat them different." Jack informed. "Ok, I don't get along

too well with Ed, but I respect him. You hired me to protect them as well as keep them here and I take my job very seriously. In truth, I don't give a damn about becoming your right hand man, not like Hans. I give a damn about my job."

Kaiser seemed to understand that. He smiled thinly and turned his attention to the coat of arms. "I think that is wise." He informed flatly. "I appreciate such loyalty. That is why I asked you to come here today. I am separating the Elrics, as you know. I want the boy to trust you, to bond to you, do you understand. This way, he will be easier to control when his brother dies."

If it was up to Al, the older boy wouldn't die. Jack lifted a brow, wondering if the Kaiser had finally decided to stop investing in Edward Elric. With Al going away, he could easily arrange for an accident for the young scientist and use Noa his wife as a hostage.

"Ok, so, I take Al to boarding school, is that it?" Jack asked, evenly. "I guess it will be easier on him. What about Ed?"

The man lifted his gaze, sharp eyes glinting in the rooms dim gaslight. "He shall spend his last days here with his wife here in the castle." He explained. "His time will be short, I suspect and none of your concern. Do you understand, Herr Harkness?"

He didn't like the sound of that. "Absolutely." Jack replied. He straightened, waiting to be dismissed.

Making a face, the Kaiser looked over his paper work and sighed. "It just seems to grow." He said absently. "Very well, Herr Harkness, you may leave. Alas I have some work to do!"

Nodding, Jack turned away, and out the door. He was not pleased the mission was suddenly falling into place. He was hoping to delay just a little bit longer so he could get more information. Yet now, all he needed to do was report in, and leave with the kid in a week. But he had made a promise to Al. The child expected him to spring them on New Year's eve. It was close to impossible to arrange and the agency would be worried about too many witnesses. They were already fuming about Ed's little run in with the Thule society and the damned rift Eckert opened trying to access Shambala.

So he was making plans on his own. He had come to understand why the night he spoke to Ed, too. Both boys were more than weapons; they were linked to a relic left over from a conflict that nearly shattered the very fabric of reality. Yet at the same time, how could they be real

honest to god human beings, which put his entire mission under moral question. How much did the agency know? And what did they want with the gateway of Alchemy or better yet, what did they want with those who could open and had looked into it? Did they know something about the gatway that he didn't? Which was indeed a hell of a lot of nothing.

And why the hell was he, Jack Harkness going to hand over one or both of the only beings capable of looking inside of it to them? Was the human race ready to harness that much power?

Did Al deserve to go from one Gilded cage to another?

Shaking his head he considered the situation and decided it was best not to worry about it, not until he knew more, and that meant helping the boys and Noa get the hell out of there. In the end what the agency didn't know wouldn't hurt them.

77

"Maybe," said Alphonse as he entered Edward's and Noa's bedroom. "We should go to Cardiff, it is in Wales."

Edward rifled though his desk, lifting up loose sheets of crumpled paper, examining them and tossing them in the waste bin. "Stonehenge or the Tower of London are better possibilities." Edward removed his leather notebook and dropped it into his open suitcase.

"There are many ghost stories about the tower of London." Noa added. She folded a set of blouses, and a few of Edward's shirts before adding them to the pile in the suitcase. "Dickens was a hypnotist as well as a writer wasn't he?"

Nodding enthusiastically, Alphonse poked though the book shelves, and removed the oncology book. He joined his brother and handed him the book. "He was actually fascinated with spiritualism and did a great deal of research in the field." Alphonse quickly explained. "In his memoirs he talks about an experience he had in Cardiff and a haunted funeral home."

Edward rolled his eyes, slamming the suitcase shut, and sitting on it in an attempt to force it to latch. "Not that I think it is a bad idea," The suitcase beneath him was stuffed and unfortunately his weight wasn't enough to close it. The blond alchemist bounced on it a few times before getting up sufficient force to close it. "But I'm a tad skeptical about these writers who get involved with spiritualists. Look at Doyle."

Sighing, Alphonse hung his head. Edward had not forgiven Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for abandoning all rationality and the scientific method in his advocation of the existence of fairies. "He is not Doyle, and I am sorry Doyle does not live up to his fictional hero Sherlock Holmes."

"Did I pack that?" Edward asked looked around the room.

"Pack what?" Alphonse inquired.

Edward jumped off his suitcase and glanced around the room. "My Sherlock Holmes collection?"

Shaking her head, Noa came to his side and hit him gently on the head with a small black leather book. "No, put it in your pocket. It's hardly necessary you know."

Grabbing the book, Edward shoved it into the pocket of his heavy frock coat. "It's the last volume." He said sharply. "And I'll be damned if I don't finish the thing before I… die."

Brother was talking about death now. Alphonse bowed his head, debating whether it was a good thing that Edward accepted his illness was undeniably terminal. "I have alchemy, Brother." Alphonse reminded him. "I'll help you."

"You know nothing about medicine, Al." Edward wearily sat in his chair. "But we will discuss that later."

Noa rubbed her arms, apparently uncomfortable with the conversation. "So…Doyle is perfectly acceptable in books…"

"I didn't say he was a bad writer." Edward remarked, smartly. "I think he's a BAD scientist. And…I like Holmes… He… kind of makes me think of Hughes, well when he wasn't babbling about that damned kid of his."

Elisia, Alphonse wondered if Alter Hughes and Alter Gracia would have a daughter. "Back to Dickens," the boy started. "He's hardly Doyle, and his information on the haunting in Cardiff really coincides with our work. He mentioned a rift there and how it was the source of the

ghosts." He felt giddy. "You know brother, it sounds familiar."

Edward propped his feet up on the coffee table, and pulled his frock coat over his lap. "Jack gave you that, didn't he?"

"Yes he did." Alphonse informed. "In fact, I am sure he did it quite deliberately."

Edward nodded, rubbing his chin. "He knows something, Al."

It was a conclusion Alphonse had come to as well. But what did Jack know? "Did you speak to him about it? Certainly that book he gave you was very advanced. Perhaps…" The boy licked his lips. "Perhaps he

comes from the future. I mean we know passing though the gate can effect time as well as space."

Outside the wind howled, and chill filled the room. Edward sank deeper into his leather chair. "It's possible. Than my next question is, if he comes from the future, what the hell does we want with us?"

It was a very good question. "We'll have to ask him." Alphonse grabbed Edward's old red coat from the closet and pulled it on. Odd, he had been the one wearing it, why did the Kaiser have his staff put it in Edward's closet? "It's a clue, like everything else." He then paused looking over at Noa. "Noa, did you put my coat with Edward's things?"

Noa shook her head. "No. I did not. Why did you ask?"

"You and Edward are the only other people who know Edward owned that coat." Alphonse replied. He looked to his brother for conformation. The young man's brow wrinkled with concern. "None of the servants did."

"Envy does." Edward answered. "I think this confirms it. Rudolph was in charge of where the servants put things." He swiveled his glance to Al. "That changes things, Al. I don't want you fighting him. He'll kill you."

"He will kill us both, Brother." Alphonse was worried about Envy but it was even more reason for them to leave. Especially now that Edward was doing much better. "The Gate sent him I think." Al said softly. "It knows he'll stop at nothing to make sure you and I die."

Nodding, Edward folded his arms. "Than you think he is here to make sure you and I pay our debts. To the gate?"

Alphonse shrugged. "It's the only reasonable solution, Brother. Noa, what do you think?"

The woman sat down on the bed, drawing her knees up, worry on her dark features. "I can't say, Alphonse. I know nothing about the gate, or this Envy. Are you asking me to use my power?"

Before he answered there was a knock at the door. The little group tensed looking at each other. It was easy to lie about the coats. Alphonse often walked the courtyard, as did Noa. But the luggage was an entirely different affair. Alphonse grabbed the suitcase and went to shove it into the closet, when the doors opened.

"Good morning!" It was Jack!

The three of them relaxed, as the tall, blue-eyed man entered the room, looking as cheerful and in control as ever.

Well, that would change, Al thought, but he trusted Jack could deal with it.

"Good morning?" Edward plopped irritably into his chair he folded his arms, trying to look annoyed that the man was there. "What is so damned good about it?"

Jack stopped, in front of Edward's chair, attention straying to the suitcase in the closet and the coats. He lifted a brow, curious and turned his gaze to Al who rocked from foot to foot in front of the closet. "Going some place?"

Shoving his hands in the pockets of his black trousers, Alphonse walked to Jack and looked up. He tried to give one of his most harmless expressions. "Yes, tonight, midnight, when they change guards at the main entrance. We are leaving, I trust you have a automobile?"

"Eh?" Jack blinked, staring down at the boy. Alphonse could have sworn the man's jaw would have fallen off. "Leaving?"

"Yes." Alphonse confirmed. "Tonight."

"Leaving tonight?" Jack repeated. His gaze lifted, flickering to Edward and Noa, Alphonse detected a bit of a strain in his voice. He looked back to Alphonse eyes wide with surprise. "Tonight?"

"What's your problem, Harkness?" Edward demanded in his normally impatient voice. "Can't hear? He said, tonight, at midnight, we're blowing this joint." The Alchemist folded his arms, and for a moment, Alphonse swore he could see the Fullmetal Alchemist glinting from behind his gaze.

Sighing, Jack threw his hands up in the air. "What the hell are you guys talking about? Are you crazy? We have no weapons, no safe house, no damned tickets out of the county and no goddamn reservations for an overseas cruise!"

Alphonse felt a pang of hurt. Of course they were unprepared, but he and Edward had traveled with enemies hot on their heels before. "Jack, please, we have to leave tonight." He said, "And we need you."

"Why? Why tonight?" exasperated, Jack plopped down on the corner of the bed, next to Noa, gaze shifting from Al to Edward. Al didn't blame him; Jack probably was strained from planning their last minute escape on Friday.

"People." Edward informed, features narrowed with determination. "There will be too many people here. If Al is forced to use his alchemy, some one will get hurt. We can't afford that." He came to a stand, and walked over to Jack. "Al scoped out the place. Tonight is our best bet; security won't be increased and… If you are up to something, than you'll have to work a little harder to do it…"

Hand it to Edward to be blunt and undiplomatic. Alphonse sighed. "Jack, you have to understand…"

"You have no reason to trust me?" Jack sounded as if it was a fact, rather than injured by the remark. He folded his arms. "You haven't said anything, Noa."

The woman looked him in the eye, her hand dropping on Jack's. Her eyes flickered wide for a moment. "I know you mean well, Jack, but how can you expect us to trust you, when you have told us nothing about yourself. Yes, I agree with Alphonse and my husband. We leave tonight.

I am sorry it makes all the work you've done for nothing."

Her husband, Alphonse felt a little surprised. Noa was more accepting of the Kaiser's arrangement than he thought. It was probable the woman did have feelings for Edward, and Edward was as always completely blind to them.

"Yeah, to put it mildly." Jack sighed, shaking his head. "So let me guess, you're feeling better, Al?"

Jack placed a hand on Alphonse's head, feeling his brow. Al didn't mind. Jack was genuinely concerned. The fever broke the other day, though Alphonse wasn't sure when; he had been traipsing about the castle spying on the Kaiser at the time, while his body was under the effects of opium.

"No fever."

"Good you had me scared to death after the other night." Jack dropped his hand away. "I assume you've been using Alchemy?"

"Yes. So, you understand now?" Alphonse asked. He touched Jack's shoulder with his cast-free hand. "They won't expect this. And I am very ready. Jack, for brother's sake, we have to leave. I can't delay anymore."

The argument was over. Jack nodded. "Ok, Al, you win. I gather you have a plan? I do have an automobile and I know the way out of here. It's just finding a safe place to hide until we can leave the country. I was making arrangements." He looked down. "Boy, my contacts are going to be really pissed off."

"Make new ones when we leave." Edward retorted. "Look, we have an enemy, we're pretty sure is here. I'm sure you know a little more about us…."

"Envy. Yes, that day you went ballistic on the Kaiser, accusing him of poisoning you."

Alphonse smiled. "Do you use future machines to hear what we say, Jack?" He asked hoping he hadn't offended the man. He saw Jack's features pale.

"You kids don't miss a trick, do you?" Jack came to a stand. He seemed more amused than anything. "Safer that you guys don't know. Ok, tonight. " He said winking at Alphonse. "I'll make sure some of the guys are a little distracted. You really think this Envy guy's going

to be a problem?"

It was a loaded question. Alphonse watched his brother's face harden as he answered the question. "Yes, and he won't give a damn who he's going to take out to achieve what he wants."

"The problem is," Alphonse picked up after his brother, "we have no idea what he wants. So it is best to be cautious. But yes, brother is right, he's a big problem and our only real obstacle."

"Shit." Al wasn't sure whether Jack was swearing because of the Envy situation or whether because Alphonse implied nothing in the castle would be able to stop them; save for Envy. "Then you guys better fill me in, because I have a hell of a lot of work to do…"

It was midnight.

With his soul settled in the suit of armor near the kitchen, Alphonse Elric could see Hans as he stood against the door to Edward's room. He had already dealt with the guard in the library and Jack was behind the painting, securing the passageway. The passage itself was one of the few places Al couldn't see.

Without much effort, Alphonse easily directed his attention to the bits of his soul scattered in the armor throughout the castle. He saw each room, ranging from the halls to the kitchen easily by just searching for the part of his soul deposited there.

The boy shifted his thoughts from the tower hall to the Kaiser's office. It was empty. The Kaiser had retired to his room and was sitting up in bed talking to a blond lady friend.

Rudolph walked the hall, inspecting the guards at the entrance of the castle and those patrolling the halls. They were all armed with machine guns, and pistols.

There were a total of 70 guards in the castle and 50 more out in the grounds. The servants had retired home or into their quarters.

Only Rudolph seemed to be on duty and as far as Alphonse could see, the man never slept.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The guard shifts were now in the process of debriefing before they changed.

It was time.

"Excuse me, Hans?" He called out, listening to the ghostly echo of his disembodied voice.

The security guard looked perplexed. His attention swiveled from the door, to Al's bedroom to the hallway. That was right. Al knew for certain Hans hadn't seen him leave his room. The man would be seriously confused.

Which was very good for him. "That's right, down here…"

Opening his suit jacket, Hans placed his hand on the butt of his gun and started to cautiously walk down the hall. "All right kid, how the hell did you get out of your room? Heck I just looked in on you ten minutes ago and you were sleeping."

He didn't answer. Rather he stood motionless and watched the man slowly walk up the hall. Hans paused in front of the kitchen, and looked at the armor, face frowning. He scratched the back of his head, troubled. "I could have sworn that little brat's voice was coming from here."

Swearing to himself, Hans unlocked the kitchen door, and opened it. The room was dark and Al faintly saw the dark lines of the kitchen counter, icebox and pantry.

"I'm here, Hans." Alphonse cheerfully announced. It was amusing to see the man spin around, now wide eyed. He was spooked and fumbled out his gun, hands shaking. He tried to release the catch on his trigger. "Ok, kid, this isn't funny…." He reached out to the suit of armor, and

flipped open the faceplate. "Empty?"

Alphonse, lifted a hand, and gave the man a shy wave. "Hello Hans how are you this evening?"

Terror widened Han's eyes and he stumbled back. He wiped his gun out, clumsily taking aim at the armor. Alphonse was fast; his hand came down on the gun and wrenched it from the man. "Oh no, Hans, you don't

want to do that. You'll hurt yourself." With a quick flick of his wrist, the gun went skittering down the hall, while his other hand came down hard on the back of Han's head.

The guard crumpled into a heap on the floor.

It was too easy, and Alphonse chided himself for playing with him the way he did, but he couldn't resist. Hans hadn't been very kind to him. After making sure the man was still breathing, he deposited Hans into the kitchen and Alchemically sealed the door so it wouldn't open until he wanted it to open.

A grinding noise turned his attention to the painting as the wall opened up and Jack Harkness poked his head out. "Jesus!" He shouted, stepping backwards. His eyes widened! "What in God's name?"

Waving his hands Alphonse ventured a step. "It's me, Alphonse, Jack. Don't worry. Is the area secure?"

Catching his breath, Jack placed his hands on his knees, and nodded. "You scared the hell out of me kid…" He stared up, blue eyes sharp and flickering now with curiosity. "Alchemy?"

"Alchemy," Al replied.

Straightening, Jack nodded. He ran a hand though his short brown hair uneasily. "Yes, the area is secure. Ok? I took out the passage's security patrols. I even managed to get that damn suitcase of your brother's out to the car without being seen. I think we've got to go now before they notice they're gone."

Yes Jack was right. "Ok." Alphonse moved the armor back to its place. If he controlled all the armor in the castle he needed to split his soul. In order to do that, Alphonse Elric needed to be in his own body. "There is a gun down the hall; give it to brother. I'll be out in a moment."

The last thing he saw was Jack's puzzled face as the room faded from view.

Opening his eyes, Alphonse saw a nose sniffing at him, and the curious and concerned features of Einstein. The poor animal cocked its head, face almost appearing confused. A little dazed, the boy dropped his hand on the kitten's head, and stroked him reassuringly. "We're leaving now, Einstein." He informed him with a faint smile. Slowly he

stood up. His clothes and books were packed in Edward's suitcase. All he needed to bring was Einstein and he was ready to go.

Scooping up the kitten, he deposited the animal on his shoulders and quickly slid off the bed. A part of his mind was on the guards and various rooms in the castle. As a result, he had to make an extra effort to filter the confusing images from his mind to walk without stumbling. He had never possessed so many armors and so many different

places before and was surprised he wasn't even more distracted.

He opened the door and stepped out into the hall.

The guards were no longer working on debriefing and were taking their stations at the doors and or patrolling the halls. Rudolph talked to one of the men stationed in the hall leading to the chapel.

"Al?" Edward's voice said, drawing him back to their tower. Both Edward and Noa stood before Jack in their winter coats. In Edward's hand was Hans' gun. A confident glint flared in Edward's golden eyes. The older alchemist turned the weapon around, checking the barrel and ammunition. Alphonse swore the older boy was eager for a fight. "We're ready."

"Alphonse," concern filled Noa's words as she quickly raced to Alphonse's side and grabbed his coat sleeve. "Are you sure this is wise?" She asked, staring at the boy. "No man's mind is capable of so many tasks at once."

Forcing a weak smiled Al sighed. "It will be difficult, but I promise they won't come after us. Please trust me Noa. It's the only way."

He gave her a reassuring pat on the hand, and led her to the passageway.

Jack lifted a brow, watching him. "You're still jacked in to those armors aren't you?"

The word jacked in was foreign to him. Alphonse looked at Jack inquisitively. "I'm monitoring what they see." He explained. He twirled a finger in the air. "It's difficult, but I have them ordered in my head. It's when they move I may have a problem!" He informed. He eased from Noa, looking her in the eye. The woman didn't need to see

his thoughts, and be confused by them.

Breathing deeply, Alphonse Elric, placed his hands together, and commanded his Alchemical abilities. "Step back everyone. It's time…"

He touched the armor before the painting, and sent a spark of energy through its body, and down the walls of the castle. He had never had such control before, not in the past, but he had gazed deep within the gateway as well as accepted his father's soul as a part of his own. He

had knowledge and understanding now that not even Edward had when it came to the gateway.

For a moment his vision blurred, and he became a little disoriented from the influx of information flooding him. Not only was he looking though their eyes, he was moving the armor out from their alcoves in the library and marching them into the hall.

The armor before the painting came to life.

Alphonse Elric gave a mischievous smirk. He now had a small army to distract the guards and there was more to come.

8

Edward

He was impressed. Edward Elric walked cautiously behind Jack Harkness attention shifting from Al, to the 6 suits of armor flanking them front and back. The other suits he sent into the adjoining passage to search for the unconscious guards and to tend to Hans. The boy had grown powerful over the years, and Edward was worried. It wasn't the

control over the armor; Alphonse had perfected his ability to possess armors by detaching his soul in Amestris, it was his ability to see though so many at the same time, and process the information.

It was as if the truth had opened his mind to something far more than the understanding of Alchemy. It had changed him.

Or had it? Edward set his jaw, looking at the boy as he walked beside Noa. He had always assumed the gate allowed him to crossover without being possessed by gatelings because of Alphons's death. Now he was

sure it was because of the Gate's desire to make their souls a part of it.

But was there something more?

"Something wrong Ed?" Jack asked looking down at him. "You look a little pale. We could have one of these…" He gestured to the armor. "Errrr, friends of your brother carry you…"

Annoyed, Edward waved his gun at Jack. "I don't need to be carried." He glanced at Al. The boy was drifting behind Noa, gaze dark with determination. "It's Al," he whispered. "He's…stronger than I thought."

It was putting it mildly, but he didn't want to give Jack any more information than he wanted. Perhaps the man was there for Al, and that was why he made the effort of being so cozy with the boy.

Jack shrugged, "Well, you know what they say, Ed." He smiled slyly. "Big things come in little packages." The man slapped Edward's bottom with a broad hand, pushing him along. "Ok, now, lets get that little ass of yours out of here, before they catch on…"

Little ass…

Did he have a little ass? Edward felt his jaw tighten and his brow twitched.

He called him little.

Not only that, Jack touched his ass….

The Alchemist's features warmed and his eyes widened. This wasn't the time or the place to lose his temper, but he couldn't just let Jack call, talk, pat… His little… package? Was he referring to his ass?

Or his…

Edward's tightened his fists and picked up his pace so he was beside the tall security guard. "My ass is not…"

"It is." Jack cut him off firmly. "This is not the time to discuss this Edward…" The man looked down, face sympathetic "It's a nice little ass, ok, Ed."

What the FUCK? "I'm not little!" Edward felt his anger rise.

Jack threw up his hands. "What, you want a big ass? That's your problem, not mine, kid. I happen to like guys with little asses, but hey, whatever you want. Eat more, and you'll get yourself a nice big ass…"

Edward Elric was speechless. How did this discussion get out of his control? Not just that, how did his ass become the topic? It was about little right? Jack has called him small… Edward worked his jaw, absolutely befuddled. "It's not about my ass…"

"Well we're not talking about Al's or Noa's." Jack remarked sharply. "Ed, can it… Before you get yourself all worked up about it." He gave a signal and the giants in front and behind them slowed to a stop. "Thanks, Al."

A set of stairs loomed before them. Edward recalled walking down them in the past. It was dark, save for the ghostly light wavering from the gas light lamps hanging on the wall. Shadows crawled across the pathway as the faint moonlight from the window above cast its eerie glow on the strange group.

"Jack." Alphonse stepped up, beside Edward. "Stop teasing my brother. You are having far too much fun at his expense." Gently, the boy put a hand on Edward's shoulder and squeezed it. "I am fine, brother. Don't

worry about me. You look tired. Do you need to rest?"

Edward couldn't help but suddenly feel like he was the younger sibling. He must have looked tired. Than again, he had a particularly bad bout with chemo that morning so of course Al was worried. "I feel strong as a horse, Al." He said, slapping the boy on the back. The blow was strong enough to make Al stumble a step. "Don't be concerned

for me!"

Jack side glanced the two of them and waved his gun impatiently. "Ok, quiet! Do you guys understand? From here on we'll be moving out of the tower."

Noa touched Edward's shoulder with her fingers. "I am sure they understand. Don't you Edward?"

The woman was almost as bad as Alphonse. Edward looked up at his wife and gave a strained smile. She was right. He would have to control his temper. It was just damned impossible with Harkness around. Something

about the man just irked him. "I can control myself." Edward pushed past Noa and started down the stairs. He just didn't have to like it. "No SHORT jokes, get that Harkness!?"

"Got it." Amused the security guard rolled his eyes.

Out of the corner of his eye, Ed watched while Jack passed him and ducked by the stationary suits of armor. To his surprise, a hand closed about the Alchemist's coat and dragged him back up a step. "Which means, you stay in the center and out of trouble, and listen to orders, get it ED?"

Gritting his teeth, Edward nodded. It was damned unfair, being reduced to some helpless bystander who needed to be rescued and rescued by a man he utterly despised. Well sort of despised. Yanking his coat out of Jack's grasp, Edward stepped back behind the man, and folded his

arms. "Ja, I get it."

"Good. Now, Al, make your buddies here, walk… Quietly." Jack gestured to the armor.

Nodding excitedly, Alphonse smirked. "Yes sir, we can sneak… That will be easy…"

Not even a moment of concentration, and the boy commanded the suits to walk stealthily down the stairs on their tiptoes. Well, at least Al still had his sense of humor and the bewildered look on Jack's face was worth it. The man looked skyward, gestured with his gun and

mouthed the words why me before taking off down the stairs after the empty suits. Resigned, Edward followed, Noa and Al not far from him.

Alphonse

Al had never thought quite like this before. There were so many things to do all at once. He, Edward, Noa, and Jack were continuing down the secret passage. He was also in the chapel, and the main hallway, and the offices, and a lot of other places… pretty much the whole castle. You know, he thought to himself, before I saw into the Gate, I would

never have even been able to understand this. Now, seeing through a hundred pairs of eyes a hundred different views (including seven different views of the secret hallway) was just … difficult, not confusing.

Enough of the musing. Time to act, before they came out into the firing line. As his human body continued down the passageway, all throughout the castle, a hundred suits of armor stepped forward at the same instant. The reactions were the same, whether from a servant in the their quarters or a hardened soldier at the front entrance: widened eyes, and a shout of disbelief. Servants fled before him, but

Al wasn't letting them get far. Not that he wanted to really hurt anyone… well, not too many people… but he had to make sure they were gone. The soldiers began firing. Al felt the various bodies he inhabited jiggle and twitch. It tickled.

"We're getting close to the exit." Jack whispered. On his shoulders, Einstein perked up, looking at Jack as Al nodded, showing no sign of what he was doing. He didn't want them to worry.

Unfortunately for the soldiers, putting little holes in living armor didn't really bother it much. They screamed as the hulking metallic forms grabbed them with inhuman strength, stripping the weapons away and breaking them like toothpicks. For a moment, Al was looking out of

windows on all sides of the castle, seeing in all directions

simultaneously, and then he was looking down all sides of the main castle, watching screaming people plummeting into the moat below. Belatedly, Al wondered if they all could swim. Too late to reconsider now. Besides, the others would probably help them. He went back for another group of people. He had to empty the castle fast.

"Okay… get ready; there could be guards right outside the door." Jack and Ed readied themselves. So did Al, although he knew the way was already clear. No point in trying to explain, and it was a little difficult to focus on this many things at once.

There, only a few stragglers left. The tiptoeing armors led the way out of the secret passage. Out into the open. "What the hell's going on in the castle?" Ed demanded suddenly. Al listened with his living body's ears. In the distance were curses and screams… a few gunshots,

but almost instantly silenced. Then a few splashing noises and more shouts, but almost all in the distance. It was interesting to compare what he and Ed were hearing with what he was seeing at the same time. Wow, he thought. Sound really does travel slowly. "I'm sorry about

this, Herr Kaiser," he said to the bug-eyed man under his one arm. "And you, Fraulein," to the blonde girl he'd found in the same bed with Kaiser. "But you really don't want to be in this castle right now."

The Kaiser's eyes narrowed as he recognized the voice, and he suddenly laughed; a short, explosive sound. "I see. Totally outmaneuvered on every front by a child. I salute you, Herr Elric."

"Thank you, sir. Sorry again, but this won't be comfortable."

"What? Oh, SCHEIIIIISSSS!"

The curse, the accompanying feminine scream, and final resounding splash, echoed first in his metal "ears" and then, a second or so later, in his flesh ones. That's the last of them.

Ed was now staring at him as they approached the car, still

unmolested. "Al… Al, what did you do?"

"Made sure we were safe, brother. Hold on."

He sent the armors back into the castle. The first bedraggled soldiers and servants were starting to drag themselves out of the moat, but without weapons they weren't going to be a threat. The armors positioned themselves throughout the castle, in a pattern that he'd

made sure to calculate three times, just to be sure. Then he clapped his hands together, a hundred pairs of hands clapping as one… and then through the soul marking on each armor, transmuted steel and air to thermite and nitroglycerine.

A thunderous roar split the night from a hundred points around the castle. The great pile of masonry shuddered, and then slowly, majestically collapsed inward, walls falling towards the center, dungeons sagging down to their floors, until the sides of the moat cracked and the water drained away.

Jack stared at the still-settling pile of dust-choked rubble as they got into the car. "Some day I have to teach you boys the meaning of the word 'subtle'," he said.

Removing Einstein from his shoulders, Alphonse gently placed him in Jack's car. "They wouldn't understand subtle," he replied while he climbed in, followed closely by Edward and Noa. "Now, let's go."

&&&&


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 21

Equivalent

Exchange

"I don't like it." Edward said, watching tall dark pines roll by.

Bright stars winked down from a cloudless sky and cast shadows across the rough dirt road. He sat in the front seat of Jack's Model T touring sedan, while Jack steered the vehicle down the mountainous carriage paths of the Bavarian Black Forest Mountains.

It was a rough ride, and the car jostled the small group endlessly. It made Edward's back ache, and stomach churn.

"Don't like what?" Jack asked, glancing over to Edward.

"Getting out was too easy." Edward remarked. He looked over his shoulder. Alphonse was curled up in the back, head against the side of the vehicle, hugging Einstein. The boy was fast asleep. Noa sat beside him, her gaze on the side of the road.

"What do you mean easy?" Jack inquired. "Do you realize what your brother just did?"

"Alchemy." Edward replied sinking back into his seat. He pulled his frock coat closer to his body. "He's never shown that kind of power."

"Whatever." Jack exhaled shaking his head. "It was easy because no one here knows how to deal with that kind of power."

Sighing, Edward leaned his head on the doorframe and watched the road roll by. The snow on the trees glinted in the light like crystal lights. "Envy wouldn't have just let us go." Edward explained. "He's up to something. He let us go."

"Maybe he couldn't deal with your brother, the walking adolescent god…" Jack's voice sounded shaken. What he had seen bothered him. Not that Edward blamed him; it wasn't every day he witnessed a 13 year old bring down the house -- literally.

"Heh, I could do far more in my day." Edward remarked matter of fact. "Al wouldn't intimidate him. Never. He knows, even though Al is very powerful right now, he's soft. Al didn't kill a single person in that place. Not even Hans or Gregor. I saw them dragging their sorry asses out of the moat as we drove away. No, Envy knows that's Al's weakness, and he'd use it on him to get in a shot." Which meant Envy had more sinister plans. The green haired homunculus wasn't the sort to work alone. He was probably scheming with someone else and let them escape. Which meant he was likely aware of their plans.

In the back, Alphonse squirmed and whispered in his sleep. Noa looked in the boy's direction, and drew closer to the car door. "We are going to the flower shop, Edward?"

Edward Elric inhaled, glancing to Jack. "I know Gracia and Officer Hughes will help." He said. "When we stop, you call the number I gave you. If Al is right, they'll help."

Jack didn't look pleased, and focused on the road. "This entire mess is out of my hands, isn't it Ed?"

He was stating the plainly obvious. Ed didn't think it was a bad thing everything was out of Jack's hands. He crossed his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes. "And that's a bad thing for you? Good. I feel like my life is a little more under control."

"Great, just great, my life, and my career, are being batted around by two megalomaniacal teenagers." Ed felt the vehicle take a turn. "So, we visit these friends of yours, then where, Ed?'

That was a problem, Ed didn't like the idea, but Al insisted. "Cardiff. Al says there is a rift there. Something about ghosts, and a rift." He cracked an eye open, wondering exactly what Jack's purpose was in giving the boy the book. "So what do you know about it?"

"About as much as you do." Jack replied. He sounded more or less as sincere as Ed would expect him to be. "Let's say, I know a little about rifts, Ed."

"I'm listening." Edward fumbled out his notebook and a pen.

"You're taking GODDAMNED notes?" Jack glanced at him, shaking his head. He fingered the steering wheel, easing the car over yet another narrow mountain road.

"Yes, I'm taking goddamned notes." Ed snapped. "For Al. When I die he needs to know what I know." He impatiently waved the pen. "Now stop wasting my fucking time." A brief glance told Edward Al was still fast asleep. That damned cat was curled in his lap now.

Noa watched them with interest. He wondered if she was all right. She looked cold. They should have brought blankets. He was cold too. Nonetheless, Edward Elric removed his frock coat and handed it back to the woman. "Use this as a blanket."

"I couldn't Edward." Noa pushed the coat away. "Please, put it back on."

Didn't she understand? Regardless of what they did and said, he was going to be dead within the next few months. It didn't matter if he got ill, he would die anyway. "You are my wife," He said firmly. "I insist."

Wordlessly she took it from him and placed it on her lap. He was sure she sensed his thoughts on the matter. Her lack of argument told him she wasn't deluding herself about the severity of his condition.

"I'm sorry." Jack apologized. "I'm just a little tense." He looked at what looked like a watch on his arm, just for a moment. "I know enough about rifts to know they're often openings to other dimensions and sometimes they're cracks in spacetime created by temporal disturbances."

"What kind of disturbances?" Ed couldn't help it. The subject was fascinating. "The book you gave me, I read some more on black holes, something like that? They effect time… I suspect the energy they give off is tremendous."

"Not Cardiff." Jack informed him. "No, there are theories. My…"he licked his lips, showing he wasn't comfortable being on the interrogation end of things. "…organization, has no idea exactly WHAT caused the rift, only that something cataclysmic created it. These rifts give off a great deal of energy…"

"Yes, but why?" Edward asked. "The rift we used had the gate; and the gate converted souls."

Jack looked distant. "Not familiar with ANYTHING capable of doing that. I mean on that scale." He scratched his head.

"The gate IS God…" Edward tried to get his mind around it. "At least, I thought it was…" But Jack seemed to approach the gate as if it were something smaller. Then again, if the universe was larger than two parallel worlds, which Jack's book implied, the gate was just some small drop in a vast sea.

But Edward had a very difficult time believing that. "Ok, what about these rifts; why is there power?"

Jack smiled. "Because they're rips in the fabric of time and space, Ed, think of the laws of Physics. Time is in constant motion for eternity. That in itself is going to release a great deal of residual power."

But for that power to be converted into Alchemy energy, they would need a machine, or, like in the gate's case, a metaphysical force to convert it. Yet somehow, Jack went on the assumption that he and Alphonse could do it with their Alchemy. "We'll need something to do the conversion. A machine: but I haven't even had time to consider making one, let alone finding a way to measure the energy of this rift and theorizing how we could convert it to Alchemical energy."

Jack's gaze was distant. "A machine…" He glanced over to Edward, features unreadable. "You are one."

"What the hell do you mean?" Edward looked confused. "Granted, the human brain is a machine of sorts, but it isn't capable of making those kinds of conversions." Edward tapped his notebook with his pencil. "But you think Al and I can?"

Jack shrugged. "Something like that, Ed. If I understand this whole mess right, both you and Al can do these mathematical conversions in your heads and you convert them using this "information" you got from the gate to make complex formulas to make things out of the existing matter around you. So, why can't you do that with the rift? Make a formula that will "convert the energy" to what you need. Isn't it just manipulating things on a subatomic level, with pure math…"

He was right. Edward considered Jack's words. Certainly there was something in the Truth that would help them to make such a conversion. He nodded, and jotted a few things down. He would have to come up with an array that would work. "So, why are you an expert on Alchemy?"

"I'm not." Jack retorted. "I know nothing about alchemy, but I do know something about temporal physics, and enough to know that where I come from, there were beings capable of manipulating matter with Math, like you and Al. But you don't need to know any more, Ed."

He detected worry in Jack's voice. "Why?" Edward asked, curious. "I mean what difference would it make? Al wants to take us home, so in the great scheme of things, we'll have nothing to do with this world ever again."

"You really believe that, Ed?" Jack asked. He looked over his shoulder at Al and Noa. "You and I both know I was sent by someone because of you… And Al."

Yes, he suspected it. Edward thought of the book and discussion he had with Al. "You're a soldier." He said evenly. "Special ops right?"

"Sort of, closer to a spy." Jack explained. "I was sent to find out what you and Al were, and to retrieve one of you."

Edward frowned. "Which is why you got all sweet on Al."

"I like Al." Jack replied with sincerity. "I'm not a bad guy, Ed. People are concerned you guys are going to change things, and that it will resort in something catastrophic." He turned his attention to the road. "Now that I know WHAT you guys are, I'm hesitant. I suspect my superiors weren't telling me everything. And so, I'm reluctant to just hand either of you over."

"I see." The man wasn't telling him the entire truth, but Edward could live with it, for now. Jack was taking risks saying what he was saying, and was probably doing it for Al. Edward still didn't like the man, but he had faith his little brother would eventually get what they needed out of him. "So, he got to you?"

"Something like that." Jack didn't sound like he regretted it. "I'll tell you what it is, Ed. In MY career, a man doesn't get involved with his work. It's always a role to get what you need."

Jack used people. Edward saw that. "But you see yourself as one of the good guys." Edward emphasized the word good guys. "And good guys don't hurt kids."

"Yeah, you got that." Jack gritted his teeth. "My orders implied something entirely different."

"Different?" Ed lifted a brow. "What did they imply?"

"You weren't people. Not in the sense that you were alien either."

What in the gate's name did Jack mean with that? Ed stared at the man, trying to puzzle out his words. IF they weren't people, what they hell would they be? Homunculus? "Aliens? Martians you mean?" He was thinking of War of the Worlds, a HG Wells novel. "So in the future you come from, Humans have encountered Martians? I know Tesla has been trying to communicate with them, and Lodge had a few theories."

Jack shook his head. "No, and I don't we should discuss it anymore Ed. What I was told was wrong. Keep it at that. I'm going to help you, Noa and Al, if you will let me, Ok?"

"And the less we know, the better?" Edward asked. He didn't like the sound of that. Jack came from another time and was a host of scientific information, how could he expect Edward, a man of science just let that go? He gave an exasperated sigh. "Damn you. Do you know what I think?" Edward began. "Al and I don't belong here and you were sent to either destroy us or retrieve us as weapons."

"That word was used." Jack informed, his attention shifted to Al.

Edward heard his little brother murmur something and curl his knees up. Einstein jumped off the boy's lap and climbed to his shoulders. "Alchemists are weapons where we come from." Thoughtful, Edward scribbled a few notes down, mostly on Jack's theory on what they could do and stared down at it. "Math, machines, matter…" He side glanced Jack, who had fallen silent. The man was from the future, he wasn't denying it, nor did he deny he was sent for them. Or was he sent after the gate? Only time would tell. "So," he began. "My next question is, what in fuck's name does a society that can travel time want with two Alchemists, who aren't even from this world? Hmm? What do we have that they want, Jack?"

By the strained look on Jack's face, Ed could tell the man was asking himself the same question. "If what I think is right? They want the truth, Ed, because within the truth there is infinite knowledge of all space-time. It's power Ed. With the right technology, whoever controls the truth and what lies beyond the gate controls the universe. And you and Al, my friend, are its keys."

&&&&

Alphonse

Standing on a hilltop, Al looked across the rolling pastures of Rizenbol's plentiful farmlands. It was spring, and patches of color dotted the green like a colorful quilt laid across the landscape. He felt warm but empty inside. He missed home, and inhaled the fresh welcoming breeze, savoring the smell of wildflowers and wheat.

"I knew I could find you here." A boy's voice lifted Alphonse's interest to the sky. Stretching as far as they eye could see was a sea of white, not brilliant blue as his memory said it would be. The great gold and black doors of the gate leered mockingly over him. Dwarfed by

its mass Alphonse Elric felt small and unimportant. Yet, despite the encroaching terror, this place seemed peaceful and inviting. Standing in the veil of translucent luminosity, a young man with unruly dark hair materialized. The mischievous curve of his lips, and glint of darkness hinted in his innocent eyes brought back a wash of recognition and flood of pain.

Al felt his heart skip a beat. Grief and guilt bathed his heart. If he could die then, he would have rather than face the child he had given as equivalent exchange to the gate.

"Al…" The boy's feet touched the ground and he approached him. "It waits."

Unable to move, Alphonse's eyes widened. There was no hatred or anger on the boy's face. Just sadness. Wrath after all, wanted Al to transmute him.

Wrath circled his arms around Alphonse Elric's waist and pressed his chin on the boy's shoulder. It was warm, and sent tingles down Al's spine. "I hear your heart beat. It is strong. I miss hearing it."

Confused, Alphonse embraced the slender form, savoring the weight in his arms. It couldn't be real, he thought. What was it? Only a few months ago he and Wrath set out to open the gate. Wrath gave his life so Al could rescue his brother and Al never forgave himself for it. "I transmuted you. And you don't have a soul." Al mumbled, feeling numb.

Large violet eyes met his Wrath slipped his hands to Al's shoulders. "What is a soul Al?" The homunculus asked, cocking his head to the side. He smiled warmly at Al. "You made me a soul, Alphonse. You gave me a piece of yours while transmuting the gate." His hand touched the

boy's face, tracing tears down Alphonse's check. "I am grateful. It allowed me to be with mother, thank you."

It was difficult to take in the boy's words. Wrath was telling him he had a soul. One Alphonse made, but Al had no memory of consciously doing so. He had wished it yes, but wishing was not making. Alphonse tilted his head, feeling overwhelmed.

"You don't understand, do you? Al, you're special. You made a soul." Wrath's features hardened. "And that is why I am here to give you a warning, so you better listen. It waits for you. We are not so different in many ways Al…"

"Not different?" He said felling a chill. Alchemists were not able to make souls. How was he able too? What made him so different? "I know it wants me, is it because I am a philosopher's stone?"

"Stupid." Wrath shook his head, affection flickering in his cold gaze. "I told you why, you just never want to listen." He face twitched. "We are no different in our creation. You are as much as a part of it as I am. That, in combination with your ability to detach parts of your

soul makes you the only Alchemist able to create them for it." Wrath continued. "Beware." His hands dropped down to Al's and closed something between his fingers, and turned to face the gate. He closed his eyes against tears. "I hope I don't see you again."

"Don't go…' Alphonse reached out, feeling the boy's hair slip past his fingers. "Wrath!" He called out, just barely hearing his own sobs, as the boy vanished into the light of the gate. Fighting his pain, Alphonse looked down focusing on the object in his hand. It was a gold ring, with an array on it.

Puzzled he studied it. Seconds ticked by. His examination only filled his mind with more and more questions.

Thoughtful, the boy touched the ring. Why had Wrath given it to him? What did it mean? He turned it over in his palm, carefully examining the seal. The array was like nothing like he never even seen before.

It was a circle with an infinity symbol, with swirls and patterns in the middle of each circle. Curiosity wrinkled his brow. It was familiar, but he had never seen it before.

The gentle tunes of a recorder captured Al's attention. Perplexed he made eye contact with a strange little man, seated crossed legged in the grass a few feet away. He wore checked pants, a blue shirt, suspenders and a very tall black hat. He was a strange looking fellow and rather out of place. The man looked though unruly dark bangs.

"Things have gotten crowded in here of late." He said absently. "People being born, people dying, people crossing over in and out… Its is a bit troublesome you know, for those of us who are just memories."

"Memories?" Confused, Alphonse asked, sitting beside the man. He studied him. "We're all just a collection of memories," the boy explained. He twirled a finger in the air. "It is what makes us sentient…"

"Hmm, I see. Rather thoughtful for someone so young, aren't you?" The little fellow tooted a few more notes on his recorder. He stopped for a moment, looking over to Al. "What is the truth then?"

Alphonse drew his knees up, looking at the ring in his hand. That was a strange question. It made him wonder if the man knew something he didn't. "The truth is the truth, nothing more, nothing less."

"It's a bit to simplistic for a lad with a mind like yours." The man said, he placed the recorder on his lap and folded his arms. He pouted. "And I gave you a rather big clue too."

"Memories?" Alphonse wrinkled his nose. He scratched his head, wondering exactly where this character had come from. "Well I guess you could call it them. A collection of memories going back to creation itself, perhaps even to the end of time. But I don't think it is that, well that comprehensible."

"It isn't, but your mind is, young Alphonse, it puts things in terms it is capable of understanding."

"Like talking to funny old man with a hat, rather than a set of big doors, bright light and writhing tentacles?" It was a poor attempt at a joke and Al felt his heart lurch at the thought of the gate and what it had done to him in the past.

The hurt that washed over the man's face quickly faded into concern. He touched the boy's arm, and gave it a pat. "It's done awful things, I am aware, lad. I'm dreadfully sorry, you're a very good boy, and you've done a splendid job keeping it from getting to you. But the truth is a little more complex than a funny old man and what you've

experienced." He dropped his hand away, leaning back, looking skyward. "But I suppose you could put it that way. But don't make the mistake, thinking the truth and the gate are the same thing. They aren't."

"I won't" Alphonse fingered the ring, puzzling out exactly what he was seeing. Was the old man a metaphor for what lie beyond the gate? He never considered the truth having any intelligence behind it. In fact, both he and his brother looked at it as an award to be won, for looking within the gate and he, Alphonse Elric had indeed looked

inside off the gate. "Why you? Why not my father? Or someone I know, surly I'd be more comforted by someone like Izumi or say mother…"

"Because they are with you. And I am one of the few memories capable of expressing itself." The old man informed, he picked up the recorder and twirled it in his fingers. "I'm quite pleased with how you and

your brother turned out, actually, your world too. Rather fond of it."

"So am I." Alphonse informed. The man changed the subject, as if it was something he couldn't discuss. Alphonse jiggled the ring and held it up to the light. "Than you are God then?"

Shaking his head the old man placed a hand to his mouth and coughed. "Certainly not, nor would I want the job. Too much responsibility you know. I prefer the quite life, well as quiet as it can be. I do find myself incapable of keeping my nose out of things." He paused. "Well,

not really me, being a memory and all, but that's neither here or there…." He paused. "Equivalent Exchange, Alphonse. It is a very important property when taken in its proper context. Especially to what YOU are."

"I'm human." Al said. "That is what I am, brother and I are, human."

"Human, indeed." The man looked sad, but at the same time, proud. "Young man." He indicated to the ring. "Your destiny lies within your hands now. That seal, is your future, and a symbol for your freedom. Remember it well, it just may be useful for you."

Alphonse watched the man stiffly come to his feet, stretching. The setting sun cast shadows across the landscape, and just a moment, instead of the lush greens of a summer field and bright skies he saw a desolate wasteland filled with broken ruins and clay covered earth.

"Yes, Rizenbol is more pleasant place isn't it Al?" The little man smiled. "I like it. Indeed, it is a pity your brother keeps denying how fond of it he is."

"Will we ever find there? Rizenbol I mean?"

A hand curled around his. "My dear boy, Rizenbol is where your heart is. All you need to do is look within and you will be there. Now, I've wasted enough of your time. Off with you… Keep that brother of yours out of trouble. The boy is far worse than I will ever be…" He wrinkled

his nose. "Well maybe, but I hardly caused the large amounts of collateral damage… For the most part…"

The image broke up, leaving Alphonse laying in the dark, hearing his own breath in and exhale steadily. The boy had no idea when they had arrived at Gracia's flower shop only that he woke up in a bed, covers drawn to his chin, in a dark room. He was exhausted, and it was difficult to open his eyes. But he managed, just a crack, enough to

recognize the dark floorboards and pale white walls. It was Alfons Heidrich's old room, though stripped of his books and other belongings.

The room was dark, and only the pale light underneath the door cast faint cowering shadows across the floor.

A sweet warm smell filtered in reminding Alphonse of pasties and pie. Gracia must have been baking; it filled the apartment with welcome warmth the Kaiser's castle had denied.

It was ironic that he, Alphonse Elric lay in his alter's bed, staring at the tall plastered ceiling, that no doubt, Alfons himself stared at many times before.

Edward missed the man, though he never mentioned it to the boy. Alphonse could tell. Brother never talked about the people he denied loving.

Letting his eyes roll shut, he listened in the darkness and pondered his dream. It seemed very real, and he could almost feel the weight of the ring Wrath gave him in his hand. Yet, when he opened his fingers, there was nothing there, save a memory.

The array on its face was etched in his mind. So it could have been more than a dream.

Brother's voice spoke in the kitchen, and Alphonse could hear the familiar voices of Noa and Jack.

"We were very concerned for you." Gracia said from the other side. "Mae's was distraught when you collapsed at the wedding Edward."

Edward gave a snort. "Wedding… It was no wedding."

"We are grateful you are allowing us to stay here." Noa's voice quickly drowned out Edward's annoyance."

"It will only be a few days." Jack added. "If you folks don't mind, me leaving these kids in your care, so I can arrange some train tickets and a ship to Wales."

"Wales? I understand London, Ed, but Cardiff?" Officer Hughes's voice didn't sound pleased.

Working up his strength, Alphonse carefully sat up and lowered his feet to the floor. At the foot of his bed, Einstein watched him, large green eyes blinking with concern.

Al patted the cat on the head and carefully lifted his body up. Dizziness kept him from standing too quickly. After a moment of sitting, he climbed to his feet tiptoed across the room.

"I know you can't understand this, Hughes." Edward began. "But we need to find a way to send Al home. He can't stay here. Not after I die."

They were talking about him. Al felt his gut tighten. Brother was making plans in case he died. Edward always thought of him above all else. Alphonse Elric leaned into the wall, wondering when his brother's sacrifices would stop.

"I see." Hughes sounded very worried. "No offense to your friend, but I'm a little wary of anyone who worked for Kaiser."

Ed laughed. "Kaiser? Heh, I honestly don't think he'll be bothering us for a while now. As for Jack, he's an asshole, but Al thinks he means well."

Jack snorted. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Ed."

"No problem."

"Edward, you, Noa and Al are welcome here, as long as you can stay." Gracia said. There was a pause, and Al heard the shuffling of feet and the moving of chairs. "And, Al is welcome to live here with us, if needed."

Alphonse's hand hovered over the doorknob. He didn't want to stay with Gracia and Hughes, he wanted to be with his brother, even if he died, Al would somehow follow him. The boy swallowed hard, waiting to hear

Jack's voice, or Noa's but heard nothing.

It was Ed who replied. "Thank you, but that won't be necessary, like I said, Al is going home."

Alphonse Elric took a deep breath. He'd have to do something about his brother, and soon. The longer he waited the faster life drained from fair-haired Alchemist.

The boy gave a sigh, and turned himself back around. He'd have to rest. If he were to heal brother soon, he needed all of his strength to do the transmutation.

&&&&

Al was surprised it took three days to gain the strength to move about freely. Not bothered, he stayed in bed, while Gracia tended to his needs. Edward and Noa visited often, but for the most part, Al studied oncology and any experimental treatments they designed for Leukemia.

He started to understand why his brother was so negative on the matter. The transmutation would be complex and risky, to both participants, but Al knew beyond a shadow of a doubt it was necessary. His brother wasn't doing any better, and more than once, Al woke up to his brother's violent vomiting in the other room.

When Edward wasn't ill, he sat at Al's side, insisting on reading to him. Together, they read the first installments of Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories and the Adventures of Alan Quartermain.

It surprised Al; his brother acted more interested in sharing fiction than studying. When asked, Edward merely gave a sad smile and told Al he never took the time to enjoy stories and wanted to do so until his time was up.

Secretly Al knew, when he slept, his brother was studying and researching the books Jack gave him. The same books, Al studied with his medical journals when he awoke to find his brother fast asleep.

&&&&

By the end of the three days, Jack returned with tickets to Wales. They said their farewells to Maes and Gracia Hughes and left.

It took a day by train to reach the ocean and another few days by ship. Some how, Jack booked them first class tickets on the Whitestar Liner, Majestic. They had a spacious stateroom, with three joining cabins.

There had been no sign of Kaiser, other than newspaper articles about how the miss handling of explosives brought down his estate. There was no mention, of Professor Elric and his wife.

For now, they could relax.

Edward took to sitting on the promenade deck of the ship, bundled in his coat and a blanket. Alphonse found him one morning after the elder alchemist skipped breakfast. Sitting down beside the older boy, Alphonse hefted his oncology book on to his lap and watched the sea roll by.

The decks were made of polished oak, and the cabin behind them a clean white steel with polished portholes. The wooden chairs behind him were slotted and walnut glazed. They were fine reclining sun chairs,

but uncomfortable as all hell. It was no wonder Edward took to putting a pillow behind his back. "I'm still amazed by the electric lights in our cabin." Alphonse said, watching Edward's face.

"You've seen them before. But I suppose it is rather amazing to think they have them for a ship like this and the average home still runs on gas-light. Shows you what money can do."

A couple passed them by. The woman sported short hair, a large hat and knee length fur coat.

Edward watched them, wordlessly, than turned his attention to the battered notebook in his hand. "This place is loaded with money." He added. "I'm not entirely sure what Jack thought getting tickets for first class. We stand out."

Al shrugged. "He wanted you to be comfortable."

Edward snorted. "I guess he means well." He folded his hands over his notebook and meet Al's gaze. "It's cold out. Al, you should be in the cabin, with Noa."

It was cold, the sea breeze was bitter and without a blanket Alphonse felt uncomfortable. He wound his scarf around his face, and pulled his cap closer to his head. He was fortunate not to be wearing knickers today. His legs would freeze. "I was going to tell you the same."

"The air takes away the edge of the chemo." Edward explained. He closed his notebook, leaving a pencil as a bookmark. The older boy's attention fell to the large medical book in Al's hands. "Still working on an alchemical cure?"

Al nodded. "Still working on getting me out of here?"

Edward brushed his bangs from his face. He was no longer wearing it back. His hair had thinned some, and Al started to notice chunks of it were missing. The length hid the spots, but soon, nothing would hide it. "It's the last thing I have to do Al. Find a source, and send you home, with Noa."

"I'm glad you are still working on it. I see you finished your book too. Sherlock Holmes." The conversation more stilted than he liked, and Al squirmed, worried his brother had become self-conscious around him. "I'm going to heal you soon." Al explained. "I just need you to hang on just a little bit longer."

Edward drew his knees up, and hugged them. Wearily, he pressed his chin into them. "I'm not dying until you're home Al."

"Good. Than I guess I have time." Alphonse announced. He saw his brother tap his knees with his notebook and look off still.

Not only was the day cold, it was gray and filled with dark clouds. Alphonse inhaled the salty air. Yes, he saw why it took the edge off his brother's ill stomach. The air was crisp and invigorating. "We should compare notes."

"You think?" Edward side glanced him. "Because together, anything is possible. Have I told you I am proud, Alphonse?"

"Many times, Brother." Al studied Edward fondly; his

brother was melancholy of late and told him how proud he was of him three times at day, at the least. Al searched his pocket for his own notebook and pulled it out. He flipped it open and tapped a new array he had drawn the other day. "I dreamed about it the other day."

Edward eyed it. A look of fascination crossed his brow. "You are remembering the truth. Sometimes it would give me information in dreams." Edward took the book from Alphonse and traced the lines. "I've never seen anything like it. What does it do?"

Alphonse shrugged. "Lets us control our own destiny."

With a bitter laugh, Edward shook his head. "I need to understand the equations behind the design Al and how they pertain to controlling the rift."

"It's not how to control the rift he explained. This array will give us the truth." Alphonse said quickly. "Accessing the truth will allow us to get the information we need to do the conversions and to use the rift as a portal."

"A key to the truth? And bypassing the gate." Edward said. His voice filled with curiosity. He tapped his chin. He looked surprised, as well as pleased. "And you came up with this in a dream?"

"Absolutely." Al said, trying to sound like Jack. He pushed his hair from his shoulder. "I think it will work."

Edward didn't appear to have the strength to object. He shrugged, and looked along the deck. "Jack and I talked, Alphonse. I now believe being a philosopher stone will allow us to convert the energy. I suppose we will have to combine the Philosopher's stone array with this one…" He waved the notebook, its pages fluttering in the wind. A

glint of hope flickered in his eyes. "You still have energy to start the ritual, don't you Al?"

Al shrugged. "If I think about it, I still feel the souls, brother. Not many, but enough to do what I need to do."

A smile grew on Edward's face and he looked relieved. He handed back Alphonse his notebook. "Once we reach this rift, I will do the arrays, you will activate them, and search the truth for a way home."

"Brother, the rift only leads once place." Alphonse said. A seagull hovered over the deck, sharp eyes searching for food. "And we have no idea if it will lead home."

"Not necessarily." Edward dismissed his words with a hand. "You see Al, a rift is a tear in dimensional space. Theoretically, some rifts are actual holes leading to the space-time vortex. If we can find access to that, we can go anywhere, any time we want. Of course, in the future, people use machine to do this. They use these rifts to

enter the fourth and fifth dimension and travel."

"And Jack told you this?" Alphonse was amazed. He looked at his brother, stunned. Edward was implying Jack may have a working time machine. Something that could help them, and yet he hadn't offered it to assist them. The boy felt a pang of hurt.

"The book he gave me was very informative." Edward explained. Looking up though blond bangs, Alphonse noted the excitement in his voice. "And the fact he admitted to being a time traveler, the deduction was

logical."

"Brother." Feeling lost, Alphonse closed his eyes, feeling the wet of tears. "If he has a machine that does this, why can't he take us home?"

Ed shrugged. The young man didn't look surprised. "Because he works for someone who does not have our best interests in mind, Al. I suspect Jack can't time travel without them knowing." He looked apologetic. "I'm sorry. I know you like him. But he is an investigative agent, like Armstrong and Archer were."

Agent or no, Al still thought Jack liked him and wanted to help because he cared. "So that means he has other plans." He couldn't face Edward, not knowing his brother was right about Jack. "Brother, he wants us to contact the rift."

"Yes." The wind threatened to steal Edward's brim hat, forcing the young man to grab it and shove the fedora down on his head. "If it means anything, Al, I believe him when he says he cares for you."

Al's hopes rose a little. Brother wasn't gloating, he was trying to make him feel better. "Are you sure, brother?"

Edward nodded. "Jack wants to be a hero. Heroes don't let kids suffer. To be honest, I don't think he has a convenient way of getting us home. If he did, he would have done it."

"Really?" Alphonse leaned into his chair looking up to the overhang above his head. For a moment he wondered why his brother was making the effort, he hated Jack, why defend him all the sudden. "But why not? Why can't he take us home brother?"

"Traveling in time is different than traveling to parallel realities. They don't have the hang of that. They have theories, Al. That's about it." Edward explained. He touched Al's knee and gave it a squeeze. "Jack and I talked the other night. The people he works for wanted him to take one of us back. We have something they don't and I suspect it is the gate, and access to the truth. With that knowledge, they just may gain access to traveling to other realities."

It was a simple enough solution, and Al toyed with it. Yes it did make sense, and Jack seemed to be rather ignorant to the gateway and what it could do. "You mean they don't want alchemy?"

"I'm guessing they do, Jack did mention the term weapon was used in referral to us." Edward looked troubled. "But, I think there is a lot more to this. And Jack, he's not willing to discuss it because he thinks the less we know, the better off we are. I'm not sure I like that, but I can understand it. It's not like we haven't done that tactic before."

"Yes we have." Al agreed. "I'm just glad you think he means well."

"Hmp, don't tell him though. It'll go to his head, and I still hate his guts." Edward lowered his feet to the deck and stretched. He shoved his notebook into his pocket and folded his blanket. "Talking about Jack, I suppose we should get back to the room before he makes a move on Noa."

Alphonse couldn't help but laugh. He stood, and wrapped an arm about his brother. It surprised him, when Edward leaned into his side, frail body looking for support. He lost too much weight, Al thought. "I'd be more concerned about him around you." He smirked, as they set off down

the deck. "Him liking little ass's and all."

His brother's face twitched into that familiar smirk. "Watch it Al, I'd like you to live long enough to get home."

&&&&

"Are you sure you want to do this, Al?" Jack's words followed him as he opened the door to their room.

"It's ok. Jack, you take Noa to dinner. Brother needs me." Alphonse replied straying a glance to Jack and Noa as they looked back at him. Noa stood near the wall, hands folded, worry in her gaze, while Jack, dressed in a tuxedo, watched after him, suspicious. They were reluctant to leave Edward, Noa, stayed at his side for most of the

afternoon, but the stubborn blond Alchemist insisted they all leave for dinner.

"Alphonse." Noa wrung her fingers together and studied the book he held in his arms. She suspected what he was up too. Her psychic ability was rarely fooled by misdirection. "Perhaps with a little more rest he'll feel better."

"You know that isn't true, Noa." Alphonse replied. He cracked the door open a bit wider and looked in. "Please, enjoy yourself tonight. I'll take care of brother, but I need to do this alone."

Reluctant, Jack gestured down the hall. "Before you do anything kid, might be good for you to eat a little something. You've been at the books all day, we'll be in port tomorrow, might be better if you do this once we've gotten a place in Cardiff. After you're rested and fed."

"I appreciate the worry, Jack, but brother can't wait." Alphonse simply replied. He slipped into the room, ignoring the cloud of concern that followed him. They had enough knowledge of Alchemy to know what he was about to do might have costs that could harm him.

But Alphonse Elric had considered that cost. If brother was right, Envy had a plan, as did the gate. Alphonse wasn't the Fullmetal Alchemist. His heart wasn't into the battle like Edward. In the end, it was better for all of them for Edward to be well.

Closing the door behind him, he stared into the room. Eyes adjusting to the low glaring light of the single electric lamp on the wall, he saw his brother.

Edward lay curled up on the sofa at the far side of the parlor, pale face pressed up into a fluffy feather pillow. A heavy down comforter was draped over his slender form. Al didn't know exactly when Edward stopped eating, it might have been a few days ago. It really showed

now. Edward Elric was dangerously thin.

Alphonse couldn't shake the idea of how animals stopped eating when they were ready to die. Was brother getting ready to die? He hugged his book tighter, recalling their discussion the other night. Edward wanted to send him home, and from what Al could tell, the young man

wouldn't live through the process.

Al grit his teeth, aware Ed would easily be able to send him home if he gave his own life and soul to the gate to do it. A sacrifice Al found unacceptable.

Crossing the floor, Al walked to the center of the room and carefully removed the Persian carpet. After rolling it up he propped it against the fine carved panels and examined the room. It was large with a coffee table in front of the sofa, with a loveseat, and two Louis the 14th cushioned chairs. Everything was oak, with golden and red paisley upholstery. He only had to move two chairs aside and was

surprised to find Edward still sleeping after the affair.

He flickered a glance at Einstein. The animal cocked his head and sauntered up to Al looking him in the eye.

"Yes, I know you are worried." Al said to the animal. He pat it on the head. "But I will be fine. But I advise you to leave and nap in the other room. It might get a little windy in here."

The kitten purred, head bumping into his hand before turning around and trotting over to the other room.

Sighing in relief, Alphonse Elric pulled out his notebook and mentally prepared his calculations. He had specially designed his array to help in the transfer of biological components. It was a difficult process and he wanted to use living materials for equivalent exchange. Living

materials, according to his research were vital for his brother's recovery.

He wouldn't use the gate for the transmutation, only the information he gleamed from the truth and his medical books. The rest of the power and materials necessary would come from him as a philosopher's stone.

Satisfied he had enough floor to work with, Alphonse carefully cut his hand, and made a blood circle. It was painful, and took a great deal of time and fair amount of blood, but he succeeded within the hour to draw the array.

It was the sum total logarithm for what made up a healthy human being combined with the calculations for completing a philosopher's stone. The design was complex, and detailed. He had added formulas for blood

and bone marrow as well as equations for the transferring of souls and channeling of power.

Alphonse glanced at Edward. The older boy hadn't moved, and he was talking in his sleep.

At least, some things hadn't changed. Alphonse Elric slowly loosened his bow tie and unbuttoned his cufflinks. Jack had dressed him in a black and white tux for dinner. It was tight and uncomfortable. He preferred his knickers and his wool slacks.

It took a moment to undress, and neatly place his folded clothing on a chair next to the couch.

Undressing Edward was difficult. The boy was light as a feather. So removing his clothing wasn't the problem. It was just doing it without waking him. Luck was with Al. His brother was too exhausted and weak. He only stirred once when Al lifted his torso to remove his sweater

and pullover shirt.

Picking up Edward wasn't difficult. He was a scant 60 pounds now, barely anything for Al, who, even shorter than Edward, weighed more due to the stockiness of his young frame.

Edward's head rolled, face pressing up into Al's cheek. It was still warm, and soft breaths puffed from his pale lips. It was apparent to Al, whatever strength Edward showed for their escape was rapidly fading. Even if he wasn't being exposed to the redwater, the damage was done and his body would not make the proper repairs.

Holding his brother close, Al walked to the center of the circle. His hand still bled and blood smeared on Edward's shoulder as he gently lowered him to his feet. Holding the young man up, Al embraced him. Their nude bodies were pressed close together, and Al felt his brother's weight fall against him.

Half lidded golden orbs opened, and peered at him. "Al?" Edward mumbled in a sleepy daze.

"It's alright brother." Al reassured. Long blond strains drifted into Edward's eyes, as he blinked away the sleep and balanced himself.

"Alphonse?" Awareness flickered, across Edward's features, making those golden eyes narrow and his mouth become a thin line. Edward Elric looked around himself and down at the array.

"I love you brother." Al kissed his brow and brought his hands together.

The sharp sting of the clap filled the room with the thunder of glowing red lightning. Alphonse felt a tingling as light swept up his body and the blood red etchings of the philosopher's stone array bled though his flesh. They glowed with the same intensity as the markings on the floor.

Ed's body jerked in his arms. Feeble, he struggled, face fluent with worry. "Al, Al, what are you using for equivalent exchange? You have to stop this Al…"

He couldn't stop, not now. Holding the young man tighter, Al pressed his face into his brother's neck, feeling the heat rise from the red lines appearing on Edward's body. Already he saw the pale marble flesh on Edward's face blaze with golden light and a prickling of pain lance down his own spine.

With an effort, Al formed the calculations in his mind, knowing, as the agony grew, his own blood, organs and spine were being depleted and used for Edward. Yet though the haze he forced his thoughts to focus. It was for brother, brother needed to live, brother needed him to remake his disease-ridden body into something stronger and healthier.

Weakness assailed him as Al's soul strained against the drain as power flooded out of him and into his broken brother's body.

Energy wrapped around Edward. It rippled, flowing into his form like tides of an unbound sea and the lines on him brightened, and reformed. Al felt Edward's body lifted up and out of his arms.

Edward was becoming a complete philosopher's stone. He'd no longer be unstable. Tears filled Al's eyes and the boy found himself becoming unsteady. It was strange, he could almost hear his brother's thoughts whisper in his mind, as if their very souls and bodies were becoming one.

Alphonse's legs wobbled. The anguish became unbearable. Determined, he gritted his teeth, and felt his body blaze as it transformed into light.

A moment later, he knew no more.

&&&&


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 22

Cardiff

"It's alright, Edward." Alfons Heidrich stood before him. His sky blue eyes glittered in the void of white surrounding them. Compassionately, he took Edward's hands into his own. "You never needed to say anything." He leaned forward, touching his lips on the blond Alchemist's.

Startled, Edward blinked hazily at his friend. The warm tug of arms wrapped around his small frame as the soft press of his mouth over his.

Alfons pulled a way, a compassion on his handsome face. "I'll always be with you, a part of you, it's what I want."

Confused, Edward wrinkled his brow and stepped back. "What the hell are you doing here?" This couldn't be real, not in a million years. Edward stared at the young man. His pale skin his light blond hair glowed with health and beauty. "I mean. I'm happy to see you… And I'm sorry I…"

A finger touched his lips. "No need to apologize, It's just the way you are Edward." Alfons touch tingled his flesh. "I love you too. And I want you to live as much as your brother."

Al? It all tumbled back in a blur of blinding white light and red lightning. Alphonse, looked up at him, face glowing pale marble as his young body heaved in the onslaught of violent winds swirling around him. Wisps of smoke like tendrils wrapped around his young form, stealing flashes of white from him.

Transmutation…

Al, Al what were you using for equivalent exchange? The words echoed in his horrified mind.

Ecstasy overflowed him as he was tossed and tumbled by turbulent streams of light. It penetrated him, and cradled him, rocking his frail body as if he were an infant. Al, he felt Al, saw his gentle smile, and smelled his sweet sent. They were together, bonded by the powers they wielded. Two halves of the same coin…

Yet, another presence was there. Alfons, yes it was Alfons watched and held him flooding Edward with his love. He wasn't dreaming, his friends soul surrendered himself so Edward may live.

Equivalent Exchange…

With a gasp, Edward Elric bolted up. He lay on the floor with his body draped over a small pale form. Dark black lines scored the floorboards, and the furniture was flipped over on its sides or up against the walls. The room was a disorganized mess, but other than that, nothing appeared to be broken…

Alphonse's nude body lay in a twisted heap. He was sheet white with ugly splotches of black and purple down his back and the boy's sweat slick flesh glinted in the yellow tinge of electric light.

Clumsily, Edward turned the boy over, trying to ignore how cold his flesh seemed, and felt for a pulse. It was there, weak, but steady. The boy appeared thinner and very limp. "Damn it Al… What in the Gate's name did you do?" Tenderly, he scooped the boy up, and came to his feet. The boy was going in shock and he needed to get him to bed as quickly as possible.

Gone was the nausea, aches and feeling of weakness that clung to Edward's limbs. He was stronger, and his mind alert as if his illness had never been. It was easy to lift Al, and carry him to his bedroom.

There, Edward placed Alphonse into his bed, and drew his covers around him. The mirror on the wall across from them showed Edward the face of a healthy young man, with a full head of hair, and bright shinny gold eyes. Not even the bruising and swelling from his beating from Hans and Gregor remained.

His body was toned, and once more in shape. Like he was in Armestris. Al succeeded. He healed him.

Edward swallowed, staring back at the boy, aware of his labored breaths. He wasn't a doctor, and had no idea how to treat the child, or even diagnosis him. The only conclusion he came too was: Al used his own body as materials for the healing and that Alfons's soul was used as equivalent exchange.

He needed Al's notes.

Glancing in the other room, he saw the boy's notebook up against the wall. Leaving Al only for a moment, he gathered the book, and returned to the boy's side. He flipped though the pages while sitting on the edge of Al's bed. The boy recorded detailed information on what he was doing. Unlike Edward, Al was meticulous and organized with his notes. It was easy to find what he was looking for, for it was clearly labeled. HUMAN TRANSMUTATION.

Healing.

Al used a variation of Human Transmutation to heal. "Bone Marrow transplant… Used in rats, not successful… Ah blood typing and donors…" Edward lifted a brow. It seemed Al tried to transmute the cancer cells into healthy cells, than transplant Edward's cancer filled bone marrow with his healthy bone marrow. The theory was brilliant, but very difficult in practice. Edward lowered the book, studying his brother. He lost a great deal of weight; apparently Al donated some of his own body to Edward….

Feeling his horror tighten his gut, Edward Elric scanned down the page, his fascination growing. Using what he knew from biology and human transmutation from the world of Alchemy, and combined with the information from the world of technology's medical books, Alphonse calculated Edward's condition down to the very DNA making up his cancer-ridden body.

The creak of the door and whistle caught Edward's attention. Glancing over his shoulder he saw Jack, and Noa. The two of them stood, slack jawed and stunned by the room. Jack ran his hand though his hair, troubled. "Damn, you can't leave these guys alone for a moment."

Edward frowned; wide eyed, Noa stumbled a step, gaze scanning the turned over furniture and clutter.

He should have organized the room before they came. But he had been so vexed, the idea slipped his mind. Holding the book, Edward stepped out of Al's room. "I'll pick things up once I determine what Al did." He informed, waving Al's notebook absently. Without waiting for their answer, he returned to Al's room, scantly aware of the dead silence that followed.

It lasted about the minute before he heard Noa's footsteps. "Edward!" she said, voice flustered. "What happened?" Her hands lifted, and hovered over his shoulders, reluctant to touch him.

Edward bushed his bangs from his face, "Al…"

"You look good." It was Jack's voice. "Al said he planned on helping you…" The man leaned into the doorframe. His attention on the small form nestled under the covers. "Is he all right?"

"How to hell do I know?" Edward snapped. "I just woke up, the room was wrecked, and Al…" He closed the notebook and shook his head. He gestured to the lump in the bed. "Al, Al looked like hell. I don't think he gave himself cancer. But he did use his body as materials."

Understanding, Noa sat on the side of the bed. Her dark eyes shimmer with tears. "Oh dear god…He…"

"I don't know." Edward turned away, feeling awkward. "Being a self sacrificing idiot runs in the family." He folded his arms and disgruntled, he glared at Jack. "And you knew about this? You let him do it?"

The man's features narrowed. Jack Harkness. His sharp blue eyes scanned Edward's body, and met with the Alchemist's disapproving stare. "What do you want me to say, Ed? " He coldly retorted. "Yes I knew about this, no I couldn't stop him. Believe me, if I could have, I would have. The boy's more useful to my plans in the end. Not you, but hey, I'm trying to do the right thing here, so I'll do whatever makes Al happy. The damn kid seems to know very well, what the right thing to do is." He tossed his hands in the air, frustrated. "Be all pissy about it if you want. But it's not going to help Al."

As much as he hated to admit it, the man was right. Being mad at him was only an outlet for Ed's frustration and helplessness. Before the transmutation, Alphonse contained the power to send himself home. Now, he had nothing. There would be no way for them to open the rift. A chill goose pimpled his flesh. He was well, but now Al was trapped. "Jack. He can't stay here."

"I know." Jack lifted his chin with his fingers. "Not everything is lost, Ed." He tapped the Alchemist's nose. "You still got brains, and I promise the rift will open. My abilities are limited in this area, especially now that I can't rely on my bosses for help, but you and Al…." He glanced around the room. "Take it from me, there is more to your power than circles and this gateway. You just got to believe in yourselves."

Edward sighed. He did believe in himself, and he knew his limits. "Heh, believe in myself. This isn't a fairy tale, Harkness."

Jack's face twitched, his gaze roving Edward's nude form once more, sheepishly. "Well, if I improvise, I might be able to do something that might help jump start things." He said, smile spliting his wolfish features. "I mean, it's the least I can do for making my dreams are coming true, but I think you need to get dressed now. Might catch cold."

Damn bastard was fast. Edward Elric grimaced, as Jack Harkness ducked the notebook tossed at his head.

Jack

Jack Harkness heaved a breath, and leaned into the doorframe. Edward Elric sat silently beside his brother's bed, fingers flipping though Al's journal, in a mad search for what Al had done to himself, while Noa dabbed the lad's brow with a cool wet cloth.

There wasn't much for any of them to do, but wait. The ship wouldn't get into port until evening, and Jack cleaned up the room the best he could.

He was nervous, and worried. He didn't like how Alphonse looked. The boy appeared positively horrid, with bruises all over his pale skin and dark circles around his eyes.

To make matters worse, the child only woke up long enough to sip some water, and nibble on a slice of bread then faded into sleep with not so much as a howdy do.

Certainly, the Al knew how much Ed was invested in him so he'd do nothing that would drive the elder boy into behaving irrationally. Al was smarter than that. Still, Jack Harkness was worried. He couldn't shake it now. The boy was too weak, and Jack wondered if he should take him to the ship's doctor or to a hospital when they docked.

Maybe, he'd be forced to transport him back to his own time to help him recover. Jack rubbed his chin, features stern.

"He has a fever." Noa observed, feeling the boy's head and running the cloth down his cheek to his neck. "It is slight, but still…"

Impatiently, Ed nodded. "Any thoughts from him?" He looked guiltily away. "I know you want to avoid it…"

"Silence, Edward. His mind is blank. His sleep is dreamless. It is as if his soul has been drained."

Jack arched a brow. He joined the others at Al's bedside, and exchanged looks. "Don't know if that sounds good…"

"He's a philosopher's stone." Edward said dryly. "The transmutation drained everything from him. I suspect he has his own soul." He looked troubled. "No, from Al's notes, I'm sure he gave one of his lungs, gallbladder, appendix, some intestine and a kidney for materials. I'm more worried about that, than anything else."

"Peachy." Jack didn't like the sound of that all. He dropped a consoling hand on Edward's arm and squeezed it. "Ed, you look tired. Why don't you and Noa rest up. I'll take the helm here. Al would want that." He glanced at Noa, and leaned close to Edward's ear. "She'll only go if you push it Ed, and lead an example. I can't tell her a thing…"

"You're trying to manipulate me." Ed yawned. He wearily closed the book in his hands and came to a stand. The slender blond glanced down at Einstein, who was curled at the foot of Al's bed. "Damn cat will keep an eye on you, I guess…"

"He certainly will." Sitting, Jack was relieved Ed was not arguing with him. It was late and they were all worried. In the end, Al wanted them to get along anyway.

Edward joined Noa, and offered a hand. "Com'on, you look beat, we should settle down."

Weakly smiling, Noa took his hand and came to her feet. Jack, noted the fondness in her gaze as the young couple left the room. If only Ed let himself notice. Damn punk was blinder than a bat, Jack thought. All the girl did was think about him.

Sighing, he looked at Al. "Now, if your bother just got his head on straight, maybe he and the lady would talk about things? But I suppose I'm being unreasonable about this? He is after all, Edward, I know everything and I'm a stubborn ASS Elric…"

The boy in the bed squirmed a little, hands feebly grabbing at his blankets. It made Jack feel a pang of relief at least there was some life in him. He touched the boy's brow, feeling the fever, and pulled the blankets up to his chin. "Damn it, Al. It wasn't supposed to go down like this at all. What happened to happily ever after? I made a career on those words."

The boy in the bed, breathed softly, reminding Jack of just how young he was. Alphonse Elric was only a child after all, just a very powerful one. Well, one good thing after his healing Edward, Jack didn't have to worry about Al causing any more trouble, not for the agency. The boy was no longer a threat. Well, not unless he got juiced again, which was possible, but for now, Jack could easily say, it wasn't possible…

If he was asked.

The man sighed. He really had to get over this conscience thing, he was even starting not to care about what they'd did to him over this. He was after all breaking with policy. Looking down, he saw the boy curl his legs up, hugging his chest. Large golden eyes opened and stared right at him.

"Brother isn't here." Al whispered, his voice painfully hoarse. " He is in his room, with Noa. They are not sleeping. They're talking." He wrinkled his brow, surprised. "I can feel him, it's like he is still with me."

"Ed?" Jacked asked, puzzled. He wasn't sure what the kid did, but it sounded like Al was now "connected" to the other boy. He arched a bow. "No, he is with, Noa. You didn't go and get Psychic on me?"

"No," Al looked across the room, focusing on the dark oak door. "No, it's just brother, it's strange. I heard his thoughts during the transmutation. But its over with, I should be hearing nothing from him now." A moment of self-consciousness crossed his features. "We're both completed philosopher's stones, could that be it?"

"Damn it Al, was that a good idea?" Jack asked. He poured the boy a cup of water and helped him to sit up enough to drink. "I mean, you guys need…"

"Each other." Alphonse said firmly. "Brother had no idea he started the process when this all started years ago. I had to finish it. If I didn't he would have DIED, not of cancer, of something far worse."

The pale terror crossing the boy's face made Jack think twice about arguing. He wasn't an expert in Alchemy and Al appeared to understand what he did and how Edward would cope with it. "I hope you won't regret what you did, Al." Jack said trying not to sound too worried.

"I don't." Al replied, simply. "And, I'll be ok in the morning. Just very tired."

"You look it." Jack studied the pale face. "You know Al, you're body can't take strains like this. I trust you'll avoid it next time. If not, I might be forced to take you home and stuff you in a 51st century hospital or fill you with nano-genes." He explained. "Until your better." He saw the boy pout and advert his gaze to the ceiling. "Brother is taking it that badly? What's a nano-gene?"

"Nah, he'll live, he's just being Ed. He was just really worried, so worried he was running about starkers, not that I minded…" Jack couldn't help but smirk, at times Ed just made being socially obvious a habit, especially when he was entrenched in something. The boy across from him almost smiled. "As for nano-genes, they're little machines that work on repairing the body." He looked away, guiltily. "My people use them. If you want to go back to my world Al, I could have them help you."

"I don't think so." Al replied. He eased himself up, hands propping his pillow behind him. "I suspected you have technology to heal people. "

Was that hurt in Al's voice? He really hated disappointing the boy. But what could he have done? Sure he could have taken Ed to his ship, pumped him up with nano genes, but the damned things were logged in, and the elder alchemist would have been traced. God only knew what the agency would do to the boy if he were infected with their nanotech. It was darned to risky.

But how could he explain this to a boy who came from world where there were no airplanes let along micro machines? "Not personally." Jack said sadly. "On my ship… If things got real bad with Ed, I was considering it… But I'd have to take both of you back then…"

"Brother would rather died, than be a prisoner again." Alphonse said flatly. A hint of understanding echoed in his words, but his face seemed sad. "But I think you understand that." He looked at his fingers. "Besides, I don't want you to get in trouble."

It was sweet. Alphonse Elric didn't want him getting into trouble. Jack stretched and patted Al on the head. "It's little late for that, Al." He refused to lie to the boy; Al was too bright for that. "But I can handle a few bureaucrats. Besides, I wouldn't worry about it. It is all worth it. Look at it this way, they can't do anything to me all that bad, when they realize it was for the better of EVERYONE. Ok?"

Al's mouth became a thin line and his brow furrowed. "Ok"

The kid didn't believe him for a moment. Must have heard the same words from Ed, Jack thought. The time agent exhaled and shook his head wearily. "You don't miss a trick do you kiddo?"

"No." Al replied simply. "You can always come home with us Jack. I'm sure Roy Mustang will give you a job if you need one, and you can try in central or travel the world with Ed and I."

The kid was serious. OF all the silly, naive, innocent kid things to say… Jack stared at the boy's wide dark golden eyes and gentle smile. A part of him really wished he could go with the boy. He cared for the Al, Noa, and even for Edward. They were good kids. Al deserved to be spoiled. But something told Jack Harkness that Alphonse Elric was destined to have a hard life. A life he fully accepted with open arms and a smile, because it was following his brother. Jack pat Al's head. "Damn it Al, I'd love to go with you, but being stuck in one place and one time… That would drive me bonkers. But I appreciate the offer. It's very sweet of you."

The boy shrugged. "It's just I know Brother wouldn't mind, and you do mean well…"

Laughing, Jack tapped his brow. "Well, he just wants to pump my brain for forbidden tidbits."

The boy giggled, the sparkle returned to his eyes and Jack fancied the color was back in his face. "Well, actually. We'd both try. I'm rather fascinated about where you're from. If you're willing to talk about it, I'll listen."

The boy was ever eager to learn. It was nice to see. Children were like sponges. They sucked up information eagerly and quickly. He liked that trait in Al. Even if it did make him one of the most dangerous things in the universe.

"Well, Al. I wish I could tell you more. But you're not going home with me so I can't. Though I will say, life for you , Ed, and Noa in the 51st century would be real cushy. I'm sure my people would give Ed anything he asked for…"

"They wouldn't give us freedom to go anywhere we wanted." Al ringed his fingers. He slipped his knees up, sending ripples of wrinkles down the sheet. "My brother loves being able to travel more than anything. We don't want another cage, Jack."

"I know you don't." Jack pushed Al's hair from his eyes. He came to his feet, stretching his stiff limbs. "Which is why, all the pumping in the world won't get me to talk kid. You don't need to know about the 51st century, ok?"

Einstein yawned and Al cuddled the cat, face nuzzling his gray fur. "Ok."

He wasn't entirely convinced by the boy, Al was sneaky, but he'd let it slid for the moment. "Good, and get well, Ok? That's an order."

Alphonse Elric nodded, innocent face filling with determination. "As quickly as I can."

"Good. Tomorrow we go to Cardiff, you have to be in top form. Ok? We have no time for laying about." Jack replied. By the look on the child's face, he suspected Al wanted to be well enough to be useful. The boy was a trooper and despite the situation, he trusted him. Jack had no clue why, but he was determined not to let Alphonse Elric down. Even if he did have to break more rules than he liked.

If Jack Harkness got his way, Alphonse, Noa I and Edward Elric were going home tomorrow.

"Don't worry about Al." Noa said. Neither of them were able to sleep that night, and after a miserable attempt, she found herself standing on deck with Edward at her side. He was dressed in shirt-sleeves a heavy wool sweater and his frock coat, long hair loosely tied at the base of his neck.

It was good to see him well, but something inside of her said, things had not changed. The fate of Edward Elric appeared to be set in stone, well or not.

She still felt the tides of fate as they clutched his soul, dooming him to death. Heaving a troubled breath, she pulled her jacket close in hopes to stifle the chill crawling over her flesh. Was there something she could do to stay the hand of the devil.

The young man beside her was knot of turmoil. His thoughts were filled with worry and frustration. Not for himself, but for his younger brother.

Noa wiped the sea mist from her face. Edward's distress boiled as like a turbulent sea that washed over her in waves of emotional ecstasy. What would she do with out it? She became accustomed to him and the endless waves of emotion he projected.

It helped her thrive.

The Roma girl leaned over the rail. The cold breeze kissed her features and brushed her hair from her eyes. For now, she'd welcome the bitterness and the taste of salt in the air. As uncomfortable as it was, it reminded her she was still alive and that perhaps there was hope.

Her gift was there for a reason, perhaps she could alter fate.

Edward's warmth radiated as he leaned close to her, his human arm sliding absently around her elbow. "I worry about both of you." He said huskily. "I will not rest until we are all home. Jack has offered to help too. I think he is sincere."

"I suspect he is." She said clutching his arm close to her. "Edward, what is wrong?"

Edward's gaze fell to the sea as it rolled behind them. He was silent for a long moment, and to her surprise, he slipped his arm from her arm, to her waist. "I was ready to die." He said softly. "I have sinned so much, I was sure this was the end, Noa." He gave a short laugh, strains of gold flickering into his eyes. "I was going to give my life so he could crossover, to home. Now I have to live, because Al gave so much of himself to save me. I can't let that be for nothing."

"It would break his heart." She agreed. How could she tell him, his fate was locked in stone, that it wasn't the cancer, it was destiny itself that would take him? She shook her head, heart thudding against her chest. How could she stop it? How could she appease the hand of death? Equivalent exchange, both Edward and Alphonse were fond of the concept. Was the answer there?

Edward wrinkled his brow and studied her. Seeing his concern, and hearing his voice whisper in her mind, Noa offered Edward a tentative smile. "Yes, Edward, I am warm enough. Keep your coat."

Cheeks reddening, he nodded. "You can hear everything I think…"

"Everything you send to me." Noa felt shame. "I'm sorry. I know it makes you feel vulnerable. I try not to read it, but it's a part of me now. You are…"

The young man appeared as if he where to anger, but his face softened and he let her lean against him. "I'm not comfortable with it." He explained honestly. "But I don't want you to hide from me. Ok? You've been hiding too much, not talking, withdrawing… It's not good Noa. You need to be free, not locked inside of yourself because I'm a selfish bastard who wants to live in his own thoughts…"

"I never said you were selfish, Edward." She didn't want him to punish himself. Edward Elric did deserve his own privacy. "You are one of the most giving individuals I l know. Sacrifice is second nature to you. That is why I am glad you let Al help you."

A weak smile crossed Edward's face and he shrugged. "Alphonse is everything to me, if it is important to him, I'll do it." Even if it was a struggle for him to give up the control he had over his life. Noa swooned in his thoughts, trying not to read, trying not to hear his pain. Yet she couldn't help it, she understood Edward's love for Al drove him to let go, to live because he feared his younger brother would have nothing if he didn't continue.

How could anyone compete with Alphonse Elric in Edward's heart? "You need to be selfish Edward. Al wants you to be selfish, he wants you to take care of yourself for you, not him."

"I am selfish, Noa." Edward whispered. He lifted his automail arm, and flexed the fingers. The soft grinding of gears against well oiled joints died in the wind. "That is how I got here in the first place. Being a selfish child." He turned to face her, hand sliding to her hip. His other hand touched her cheek. "It is the sin I will forever have to watch. You need better. Far better than a sinner like me to follow. And I want you to have a choice." He looked down, self conscious of his tearing eyes. "You are welcome to come to the world of Alchemy with Al and I, but you are also free to leave with Jack. Once we are in my world, we don't need a divorce to nullify this marriage. If he is a good man, he'll take good care of you. I am sure he knows of people in the future who can help you control your power, Noa, and let you be free from men like me, who need to control everything around them."

"Trade one sinner for another?" Noa asked. She understood what he was doing, he war trying to release her, so she could find her own way. Yet she didn't want too. "Edward Elric, I don't want to go with Jack, I want to go with you and Alphonse. You are my family now." She placed a hand on his arm. "I like being with you. You think of who I am and what I need. Please don't drive me away because you are frightened of what it is to be human. It's all right to be selfish Edward. It's all right to be Edward Elric. And if you feel it is I who is caging you, just say the word, and I will let go, because seeing you happy, makes me happy, and that is how I am selfish." She leaned over, arms wrapping about him. She pressed her head against his shoulder.

He stiffened as she pulled away, blinking with confusion in his eyes.

"Now, I think I can sleep now." Noa said turning away. "Will you walk me to my room?"

Swallowing, Edward joined her side. He quickly gathered her hand into his. His mind was racing in a desperate attempt to puzzle his feelings, and why he enjoyed holding her so. All that time, he honestly thought she didn't want to be with him, and Edward Elric has no idea how to proceed in any sort of romantic way. "Of course…"

"It's alright, Edward." She said as they walked. "There is no need for you to worry about courting me." Her voice was firm but gentle so not to upset him. "Our friendship is enough and you are comfortable with the idea, so I am. It need not to be anymore than that."

Edward awkwardly cleared his throat. "Ah, whatever."

Noa gave a tiny smile. It was his way of telling her he cared to think on the matter.

And that was enough for her.

&&&&

Alphonse

Jack's Model T made the journey across sea in the hold of the ship. Alphonse was grateful. Upon disembarking, they packed the car, and he snuggled up in the back with a heavy blanket, and Einstein. He was still feeling weak, and moving was an effort. He suspected it would be days before he recovered his strength, but watching his brother behave like his old healthy self made the entire affair worth it.

Certainly, it caused more complications for Jack, but Al reflected it put the man on his toes. It was also rather amusing watching the two snipe at each other. It made Noa smile, and Al missed her smiles.

At first Al was under the impression they were going straight into Cardiff. But after an hour of driving he realized, they were headed out for the countryside. He was tired, and his mind drifted in and out of the conversations, making it impossible for him to pay attention to what was being said.

Nestled against the seat with Einstein, Alphonse Elric faded off into sleep.

He awoke with a start, aware the motion of the car had stopped and Edward's hand was on his shoulder. "Al?" Edward's voice was a whisper, reluctant to wake him.

"We've stopped?" Alphonse felt Einstein slip from his grasp and stretch.

"Yes, Jack wanted to get some equipment." Edward explained. He patted the boy on the shoulder and helped him to sit up. "How are you doing?"

"A little shaky." Alphonse replied honestly. He looked around. Wrapped in blankets, he was sitting hunched up against the car seat and Edward stood in front of the open door looking at him. "But give me a moment, and I'll be fine."

Edward's brow wrinkled and he examined Al. "You didn't have to do this, Al."

"Don't be silly, brother. I did have to do it." Al informed matter of fact. He saw guilt in Edward's gaze. "I couldn't let you just die you know. And I'm perfectly fine, my body is recovering already."

Edward didn't look convinced. He reached in and helped Al to his feet. "You took the disease into your own body, didn't you Al?"

"It's alright, I'm fighting it off, brother. My body was healthy." Alphonse explained.

He saw how his brother's face became very grave. The elder boy lowered his head, hand clumsily pushing back bangs, shame flickering in his gold eyes. "Al… Fucking hell, why? I'm not worth your life…"

How could Alphonse prove to his brother his calculations were perfect and that he would recover in time? Edward must have read his notes. But how could he blame him? The older alchemist was so used to trusting only himself. Alphonse stood, fingers curling around Edward's arm. "Brother, I took a risk, because in the end I knew I couldn't fight the forces that want to stop us from going home."

"I see," Edward nodded, understanding crossing his features. He wrapped an arm around Alphonse's shoulder and helped him to walk. "I would like to get you to a doctor, Al, just in case."

"When we get home." Al soothed him. He leaned against Edward, cheek pressing into Edward's neck, near his ear. "Please brother. The physicians at home can help with my condition. It is Alchemically induced after all."

Edward looked down, his brow etched with worry. "Damn it Al…You just can't dismiss it like that."

"I can and I will brother. Can't you trust me?" Al fixed him with a determined gaze. He hated using guilt on Edward, but at times it was the only thing that worked. "I'll be fine. It's time for you to get me home."

Edward sighed, hugging him close. "How, Al? You just made it impossible."

Al shook his head. "I made sure you would find a way home without dying brother. That's all. I don't want you to sacrifice yourself for me."

The color drained from Edward's face. "Al…"

"You can't die now, Brother. You owe me." Al continued. "We'll live for each other, Ok?"

Silent, Edward looked away. His lips trembled and a single tear trailed down his cheek. "Some times I just want to get it over with, Al. I want to be nothing, so the pain stops. Have you ever felt that way?"

"When I realized I was only alive because of people dying." Alphonse said gravely. He felt a flood of pain, mind blazing with images of Scar and Loir. "But than I realized there were more important things than my guilt. Like you, and moving on." He touched Edward's cheek touching the trail of wet. Al suspected Edward had planed on using his own soul in the end to send him home. Now his brother was struggling with the idea of living.

Adoration filled Al, as he snuggled into his brother's warm body. "You taught me how to move on brother. What did you used to say, you have to good legs, use them? Well, that is what I'm going to tell you, use your legs, get over it, live and move on. With Noa and me…. OK?"

"I'll try. " Edward whispered. He hugged the boy tightly, and Al felt Edward's tears against his cheek. "I'm sorry Al, so Goddamned sorry for every fucking breath I've taken in this life. How could you just go and forgive everything thing I've done to you?"

"Because you're heart means well by it all, brother." Alphonse whispered. "I love you, and when you do go to hell, I'll follow, and take you from the devil and bring you to heaven with me, because you deserve to have peace."

Edward Elric held in a sob, and buried his face into Al's neck. There he wept, clutching Al close to him. Wordless, Al held him, tears filling his own eyes. What wouldn't they give for each other's happiness? Tears tumbled down his cheeks, and he clutched Edward tighter. It was unfair the world around them was so against them.

When the moment past, the older boy lifted his teary gaze too Al. "All the fucking demons in hell could never hold me." He said, a familiar cocky smile twitching across his face. "I'm too much of a pain in the ass, they'd kick me out before you even got there, or I'd take over."

The two of them laughed. It was good to see Edward regaining his hope. The gloom hanging over Al's heart lightened and it appeared Edward was less burdened. "Well we don't have to worry about any of that, brother, because you're going to live, right?"

Edward nodded. "Damn straight. And we're going to get you home, I promise, even if I do have to trust Mr. 51st century." He gestured to the landscape beyond. But you've got him wrapped around your little finger, right Al?"

"Just like you?" Al joked.

Edward blushed and tapped Al's head affectionately with a knuckle. "You knuckle head!"

They were parked in a field over looking the rolling hills of the Welsh countryside. Ed led the boy over a hill, a quarky smirk crossing his face. He waved a hand, "I have been told, there is something you've gotta see, Al." It was cool and flakes of snow fluttered down from the sky and onto the long forest covered grass blanketing the landscape. Al inhaled, pressing his small body close to the warmth of his brother.

Noa stood in the field, breath puffing out frozen air. Her gaze focused on the gray cloud covered sky overhead. "He said to look North." She glanced over to Edward. The cool wind tossed her hair into her face, forcing her to shield her eyes.

Edward nodded. "That's what he said. Did you see him disappear?"

"Yes I did, it was all blue and glittery." Noa pointed to the field. "About there I think."

Alphonse glanced to Edward, curious. "Disappeared? Brother, I don't understand, where is Jack?"

Edward peered up, golden eyes glinting in the afternoon light. "Jack wanted to show you something Al. He said it was amazing." He gestured to the sky, "About around there, he told me to tell you. Are you up for it?"

Frigid air bit his nose as Al averted his gaze. The sky started to shimmer and melt away, to revel a metallic form casting a shadow over the hillside. It was sleek, and reminded Alphonse of a very narrow spindle shaped triangle with wings that spanned the sides to the back of the vehicle. The engines were built into the wing designed, and like nothing he had ever seen, some kind of rockets he supposed. Studying the vehicle, the boy realized he hadn't the words to describe such a machine. Not even the fantastic technology of the early 21st century rivaled the amazing device hovering over the landscape. Just that it was beautiful, with a shinny metal body that reminded him of a bird of prey.

"It's sort of like a plane." Alphonse said excitement filling his voice. "But not as clunky."

"It's a time machine." Edward explained. "Capable of traveling though space." He squinted at the ship, and Al could tell he was trying to puzzle it out. "I wish knew more, I am sure it doesn't rely on a Zigma beam, so it must use a time tunnel technology."

"I really have to read that book." Al honestly informed. It must have been filled with countless wonders, yet some how, print would pale in comparison to seeing it. He watched the ship turn in place. Blue energy crackled over it's exterior, than a golden beam glittered from its belly. Jack materialized out of thin air, with several boxes around him.

The man fiddled with the leather band on his wrist and a moment later, the ship winked out of existence. He gave the boys and Noa a broad smile. "The human race has a great deal to look forward too. Doesn't it, kiddies?"

Noa bright eyes, sparkled, reminding Al of a child tasting ice cream for the first time. "Such wonders!"

Predictably, Edward folded his arms, irritation washing away any sense of wonder. Alphonse was sure it was just his brother's way to put Jack on guard. The elder Elric didn't want the man to think he liked or was impressed by him.

Al offered Jack a kind smile. "Yes, Jack, yes it does. Thank you for showing us it. It was amazing."

"Thank you, Al. Just remember, you never saw it, alright?"

"So, do all time agents have a ship like this?" Edward asked. Scientific curiosity filled his words.

Jack waved to the sky. "Not everyone, but I have it on loan to do this job, pretty isn't she?"

Noa smiled. "Yes I think she is. It is hard to imagine this is a ship that flies in the stars as well as time."

Edward shrugged. "I'm not one to judge. But I'll trust you on that one."

Al offered Edward an approving grin. Edward hadn't let his guard down concerning Harkness, but he was at least tying to have good manners on the subject.

Jack shoved his thumbs into his pockets, and looked up at the sky, like a proud father. "Yes, well, you're gonna have to there, Chula ships, some of the best in the galaxy…" he paused, winking at all. "But that could be too much information."

Seeing the ship was too much information, but Al didn't mind. The entire affair seemed to spark something in Edward too. Both young men exchanged glances. "I suppose we'd have to know how something like that worked to make one with Alchemy…." Alphonse said, noting the glint in his brother's eye.

Edward tapped his pocket. "Jack gave me a book."

"On temporal Physics, not engineering." Jack snapped. He shifted worry flooding his features. "You can't make space ships, just…." He motioned a clap. "Poof out of thin air…"

"I bet the truth has something in it about it. And with this book, I can understand the principals to time travel using time tunnels…" Edward said, brow twitching. He was enjoying himself all too much, Al thought.

Jack's brow narrowed and turned away. "Not working Ed… The truth… Can't just tell you how to build a space ship, you need to understand engineering on a very fine level…It's not possible…" He paused sharp blue eyes looking to Al for support.

The boy leaned into his brother's side, and shook his head. He really hated ganging up on Jack. "In all honesty, Jack, I have no idea what the truth can tell us and I have no idea how much of it we can comprehended to use."

"I didn't want to hear that, Al." Jack shook his head, and threw up his hands. "Well not like I didn't expect it!" He shot a glance to Edward, his gaze serious. " No space ships, Ed, can you make me that promise?"

Edward sighed, the mischief leaving his golden gaze, just for a moment. "Hmmm, you really are worried eh? I wouldn't worry Harkness. I would have to know a hell of a lot more about your tech if I were to do it. I don't trust the truth, of anything I got from the gate, so you're little secret is safe with me."

"Good, you have boxes to move." Jack informed. "And work to do, if you want to get home, anytime soon."

&&&&

They wouldn't let him lift boxes, so Al just watched. Not that it mattered though he was weak, and too excited about Jack's spaceship to think of moving things. It was amazing. In a way, he would have loved to visit Jack's world, even ride in the spaceship. It was a shame 51st century politics stood in their way.

Quietly, Al watched his brother, Jack and Noa load the car. Both Jack and Ed were engaged in light conversation that eventually degraded into Jack tossing out innuendoes and Ed snipping back with his own brand of wiseass humor.

Noa pleaded both of them to stop, half hearted, aware that some where inside of both men, they were enjoying themselves and the roles they were playing.

Al hugged his knees. Einstein pounced on a fast darting shape in the grass. The boy was forced to lean partially out of the car to see the kitten was pawing at a large round field mouse he had roused from one of the many burrows hidden in the field.

There was a thump from behind as the boot was closed. "Everything is loaded." Jack said. "Are we ready?"

"I'm ready." Edward replied. "All those boxes, they're filled with electronics?"

"Everything a man from the 51st century needs to help coax open a rift. " Jack explained. "We need to get to the site, and set up the generator and the transdimentional stabilizers, and attach the zigma waves to spit open a rift tunnel…."

"It sounds complicated." Noa replied.

The three adults circled the car. Noa sat in the back, beside Al, and Edward and Jack slipped in the front. "We need to stabilize the rift before poking a hole safely into the dimensional vortex." Jack explained. "Not complicated if you have the proper equipment."

"Or a mentalist." Alphonse perked up. He glanced over to Noa. "According to Dickens, the servant girl, Gweneth was psychic and sensitive to the creatures inside of the rift. She worked and grew up in the Sneed and Companies funeral home and became sensitive to the spirits in side of the house. She was Mr. Sneed's servant. Her mind and soul served as a bridge to contacting it. Noa would do that."

"Yes, I suppose she could." Jack replied, glancing back to Noa. "But the shock is too much to the human mind. To channel that much power would kill her."

Al nodded he touched Noa's fingers. "We'd never ask you to do that."

"I know you wouldn't Al. But it is interesting still." Noa replied. She returned his touch with a squeeze. "Edward and I were exploring that very possibility before he became ill. The sensitivity of a medium to dimensional forces."

Edward looked back. "If Dickens were still alive, I would have loved to discuss it with him."

"I time travel." Jack started the engine. Hearing the engine, Einstein abandoned his quarry and jumped into the back with Al. "As far as I'm concerned the man's a flight away."

"We couldn't." Noa retorted. "You're people are worried enough about Edward and Al living here now…"

Edward and Jack exchanged glances. "Hmmm, you know, pissing people off is one of my specialties."

"It's tempting, isn't it, Ed?" Jack smirked. "You, me, a time machine and a universe of things to explore. Heck we could go to any time and any planet we wanted, including Uranus…"

Ed opened his mouth, and closed it, his gaze narrowing. "Explore my ass…"

"Exactly."

"Well, meeting Dickens could be fun." Alphonse quickly retorted. He saw his brother's face turning beet red. "Wouldn't it brother?"

"Does everything coming out of your mouth have to be subtext?" Edward snapped, staring at Jack. "Why can't you just have a normal conversation without some kind of…" He waved his hands frustrated "Innuendo in it!"

Jack sighed. "You're very cute when you get flustered, Ed. But I'll try and control myself, ok? For you."

"Ok…"Dumbfounded, Ed shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He looked back to Al. "What?"

"You did walk into that one, brother." Al shrugged.

"Yeah, I know." Edward sank down, embarrassment crossing his features. "So, what are these creatures inside of the rift? Souls that escaped the gate?"

"Dickens called them the Gelth." Alphonse replied. "He said they were beings who got trapped there and were looking for an escape by possessing human bodies." He looked away, feeling a wash of unease. If they, the Gelth still existed, they would be dangerous. "But Gwenth destroyed them by setting the funeral home on fire. The fire consumed them, because they were made of some kind of gas."

Jack glanced back to Al, and nodded. "As far as I know, the Cardiff Rift is clean. In my day, we use it as a power source. Lots of energy, so I'm sure we'll be able to use it for your alchemy. So are you guys ready?"

"I think we are." Edward said. Al saw his brother's confidence return. "Al has a few notes that make sense so between the two of us, I think we have the correct formulas to use, right Al?"

The boy nodded. "Right. And don't worry about me I'm up for it, ok, brother? Two Philosopher's stones are better than one right?"

Edward looked skeptical. "Ok, Al, how can I argue with that kind of logic?"

He couldn't, and Al knew it, they did everything better when they put both their heads together on it. Smug the boy smiled, it wouldn't be long before they were in Cardiff and home. They might even arrive in time for dinner with Pinako and Winry…

&&&

Jack

They arrived at Cardiff in the late afternoon. It was decided then, despite the eagerness of the little group to get home, they would stay the night in an inn. Al was exhausted, and Edward was afraid of a fight. The older boy was certain they'd encounter this Envy/Rudolf at the rift.

Of course Jack was concerned. The boy was right to be worried, if he was right. He remembered the day Rudolph beat Al and the look on the man's face when he stopped it. Jack had seen hatred like that before Rudolf would have killed the boy.

The man shifted, hand pushing away the thick drapery back from the window, Jack peered out at the quiet little street beyond. It was a narrow road, with old Regency and Victorian buildings nestled against an occasional ally. He saw the port, just down the road, and on an adjacent street, a battered old warehouse where the Sneed and Company's old funeral used to be.

They would need to set up in the warehouse in the morning. Fortunate for them, the building was closed down, and the windows boarded up. According to rumors in town, folks were still weary about the property, and business there were short lived.

He pulled a flask form his jacket and took a swing. The bitter flavor of scotch washed over his pallet. He needed the drink, it helped him to think and consider his situation.

Looking across the room, he saw Edward pulling blankets about Alphonse. The boy was sleeping already with Einstein laid on his chest. Jack heard Noa moving around in the bathroom, washing her self up and getting ready for bed.

To his surprise, Edward joined him at the window, looking at the flask in his hand. "He's weak, I have no idea how he'll be in the morning." The young man said. He pulled up a chair and sat heavily down.

"Stop feeling guilty about it." Jack told him, recognizing the grief wrinkling Ed's brow. "Al made a choice."

"Easy for you to say, he's not your brother, and you don't need to be responsible for him." Edward reached for Jack's flask. "If you don't mind, I would be grateful for something stronger than water."

Jack handed him the flask. "Be my guest." He watched Edward slug down a gulp and hand him the flask back. On his feet, and completely himself, Edward Elric was still a very intriguing fellow. He was very much a scientist, but an adventurer, and Jack couldn't deny how much he admired that in the young man. He wondered what Ed would think of the 51st century? Or whether he'd fit at all.

The squeaking of hinges turned their attention to the bathroom as Noa tentatively stepped out. Self-conscious, she held a robe close to her body and blushed when she realized the two of them were watching her. Modestly, she gestured to the bed. "Do either of you want to sleep in the bed?"

"You take it." Both Jack and Ed replied simultaneously. The two men exchanged glances and silently communicated their thoughts. No woman should be uncomfortable. It was one of the few things they agreed upon.

Ed gestured to the couch "I'll sleep on the sofa. I don't mind."

"We can both fit, can't we?" Jack teased, looking down at Ed with a half smile.

"What is this another short joke?" Ed bit back annoyed. His long blond hair dripped into his furious golden eyes.

It made Edward Elric, very attractive indeed. "No, it's a proposition, Ed."

"No." Red faced, Ed turned away, his attention shifted to Noa. The woman was fussing over his sheets and climbing on to the soft mattress.

Jack shrugged. Not that he expected Ed to take to proposition, but there was always that off chance and he leaned never let any opportunity of sexual misconduct pass if there is a glimmer of a chance. "Doesn't hurt to ask, right?"

A smile threatened to form on Edward's lips, and he reached up and grabbed the flask of liquor from Jack. "I suspect even if it did hurt, you'd ask." He took another hearty swing, and handed it back to Jack. "God Damn, it Jack I thought you promised not to bother me with that crap."

A moment of shame filled Jack and he looked back to the window. "Flirting is second nature for me, Ed. Where I come from, we have no hang ups, sexuality, other sentient species, open marriages, it's all game. I'm sorry if it bothers you." He could see the transparent reflection of Edward flickering in the dim gaslight lamps. He was still watching Noa, as she curled up in her bed, He had made the promise didn't he? "You love her, don't you Ed?"

Edward blanched. "God damn it, don't you stop?" He asked glaring over to Jack. "It's none of your business, what I feel or don't feel… I'm married to her, I'm responsible for her welfare, until we are home, or get a divorce. I have to care for Noa…"

It was more than that, but Edward Elric was very blind to his own feelings. Jack sighed, deciding the boy would come to terms with what he felt on his own. "Don't wait too long, Ed." He advised, and was done with it. "But, I think I know how you feel. Like it or not, I'm responsible for the three of you." Jack informed. "As of now, you and your brother are most likely the most dangerous men on this planet."

"Hmp, no different from home, I suppose." Edward looked out the window. "So, let me get this straight, Sneed and Company was the funeral pallor in Dickens's book, and the rift, a tear in space time, allowed for alien creatures, like Martians, to communicate to a psychic girl, name Gwyneth."

"Martians again?" Jack side glanced Edward, "What is it with you and Martians? Don't you get it Ed; the universe is bigger than just earth and mars. The Gelth, they're just one alien race of millions"

Edward leaned his elbows on his knees and pressed his face in his palms. His perfect heart shaped face, became very serious. "Martians, Aliens, they're all foreigners to this planet, I suppose they're all the same to me."

"You're the only alien in this room, Ed. I was born here." Jack leaned against the desk next to the window. "But yes, you've got the history right. The basement, according to Al was where it all happened, the break in the rift was there."

"Than tomorrow, we will go into the basement and set up." Edward said, he looked across the room, gaze falling to the boy curled up in the bed. "If we fail, than what?'

Ed was asking him?

Jack studied the young man. He hadn't really thought that far ahead. In fact, he was rather determined not to let them fail if he could. "Mr. I need to control everything is asking me?"

Ed exhaled, and nodded. "Yeah, I'm asking you. Do you have a back up plan? If we fail, how are we going to keep us out of the hands of 51st century time travelers?" Ed sounded a bit lost. He gaze dropped unsure.

Jack rubbed his chin. "Guess we'll have to run. Time machine, remember?"

"You'd toss your career in the can for us?" Edward evenly asked, disbelieving.

Jack shrugged. "For Al, yes. Actually, you've all grown on me. Especially you, Ed, pain in the ass you are, I come to appreciate the times you snipe at me, and alter whatever plans I'm making."

"Yes, well, it's how I work." Ed leaned back into his chair, arms folding. "I'm sorry if it was kind of, disruptive. You haven't told what you plan on doing if things don't work out. Time machine or no, can you guaranteed no one will be able to get Al and I?"

"I can guarantee, they'll have a hell of a time trying, Ed." It was all he could promise. IF something did go wrong, he had a great deal he needed to do, disabling any way of tracing them for one, and reprogramming his ship to accept his new passengers to name a few. "And, I suspect I'll have to trust both of you with my suspicions. That, I can't promise, Ed, is something you honestly want to know."

"What do you mean?" Edward lifted a brow. "Knowledge is power, Jack. It's why we are dangerous, the truth is knowledge."

Jack shrugged. "That's only a small part of it. And I don't know what knowing exactly what the truth is and why you are here, as things you'd want Al to know." It was difficult to keep things secret around Edward, after all the boys' been though, he really did deserve to know WHY Jack was so concerned. He looked at the alchemist, trying to measure his words. How could you tell someone they were the possible product of ancient and long extinct mythic society? He squinted at Edward, trying to puzzled the young man out. Many men would be crushed by the realization.

But how would Edward Elric feel? And was it relevant if they escaped?

Edward's cocked his head, as if he were waiting for something.

"What the hell are you looking at me like that for?" Jack asked.

"You look like you have a lot on your mind." Edward returned his attention to the street. "Connecting with the rift here, will give Al and I power even if it doesn't send us home. We can pretty much defend ourselves."

"I know Ed, I wasn't worried about that. I was concerned that you would want to find out WHY there is a problem with you and Al."

"My choice isn't it?" Ed asked. His expression was of a thoughtful man, and a scientist. "But yes, if we fail, I will look."

Jack nodded, not arguing. "Some how, I thought that would be your answer. Well, I'll tell you this, I'm not standing back and letting you have all the goddamn fun. You'll need help. I have a few ideas. So we'll have to work together on the big Elric brother mystery. But we do it MY way, ok?"

"You have the ship. We're at your mercy." Ed threw up his hands, a smile on his young face. There was a glint in his eye. "So plan B is run like hell, and poke into things that are never supposed to be poked into, sounds like my life won't change any. And you?"

Jack snorted, but smiled fondly at the pale blond alchemist. "Life's an adventure, it just makes things a little more interesting."

&&&&

Alphonse Elric

"It's very dark." Noa said tilting the rim of her kloche. Apprehensive, she looked around.

Al didn't blame her. The warehouse was a dark and gloomy place. Cobwebs hung from the high ceiling and narrow halls were musty from mold and rotting wallpaper. The hard wood flood underneath squeaked when stepped on and the boards were soft as atrophy worked its way into the moist wood. The place had been abandoned for a while from the look of the dust and crumpled newpapers it had been a while. Al kicked a can. It rolled across the floor then dropped out of sight. A rattle and clanking echoed down the hall, as the can hit concrete. "The floor is rotted though, over there." The boy said, indicating where he kicked the can. "Be careful, or we'll be finding the basement the hard way."

Edward lifted his lamp pointing it's light in the direction of the can. The sleek shadow of Einstein darted by, as the nimble kitten played with one of the many mice scurrying about the floor.

The floorboards were broken in several places, and dark holes greeted the dust filled light. "The laws of conservation and entropy are a tough act to fight. "Edward explained. "Especially when no one keeps the place up."

"Lucky for us." Jack replied. "The place is condemned, keeps people away from it."

Alphonse smiled, following closely. "Where we come from, it's an invitation to start a top secret lab filled with scientific atrocities."

Out of the corner of his eye, Al saw Noa flinch. Fear filled her eyes and she leaned into Edward, looking wordlessly around. Absently, Edward wrapped his automail arm around her shoulder. "What is it, Noa?"

"This place is alive." She whispered. "It was seen a great deal of death."

Jack lifted a brow, "How so?" They stopped in front of a door and Jack opened it. A set of stairs loomed in the pitch darkness. Alphonse felt a chill that seemed to go right though his very soul. The boy paused, looking around for anything that might have justified the feeling.

The cramped space smelled of ash, and dust and the dark stonewalls were blackened with soot. It wasn't uncommon for people to reuse the materials from a wrecked building. It must have been the case when Sneed and Company burnt down.

Yet he felt a shiver of excitement as he descended the stairs. A part of him longed for this moment and could feel the very movement of the air and space around him. Long tendril like shadows writhed around him sending waves of horror up and down his spine. The lamp in Al's hand started to shake. It was as if the Gate was looming over him, waiting, hungering for his spirit. Alphonse's steps slowed. His flesh crawled as he felt his stomach twist. It was unnatural, yet completely unreasonable. How could he feel the gate? It wasn't there and they had no intention of contacting it. Alphonse hugged himself and picked up his pace, eager to get out of the narrow stairwell.

Al took careful steps, foot feeling the stone ground as they went. "Jack, you set stuff up already?" He asked as he came to the floor.

Jack pushed open the large wooden door, and fingered the device on his arm. The room suddenly filled with bright light that made the three young people cover their eyes. "That's right, got us a generator, so we can run some lights and the rest of the equipment.

"You could have warned us!' Edward snapped annoyed. Still, he pushed past the man and vanished into the room beyond. "Noa, where is the rift?"

Blinking away spots, Al watched Noa follow Ed. They'd find the rift soon and open it. It made him giddy. Gulping down his anticipation, Alphonse Elric hesitantly stepped up to Jack and looked.

The cellar was large, with flat concrete foundation, and a high boarded ceiling. The walls were dark stone, with iron-gated alcove at each end. Boxes were scattered about, with electronic gadgets Al had never seen before. Some of it hummed, while bright lamps stood in each corner of the room, flooding the basement with bright light.

Noa circled the room, hand running over the blackened walls. Her expression was pained and concentration wrinkled her brow. Coming away from the wall, she made a perfect circle there and came to a stand off center in the room. To Al's surprise, she dropped to the floor, fingers tracing over the concrete. Caked flakes of gray dust stuck to her fingers and she withdrew them.

"You feeling ok, Al?" Jack placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Tired, but ok. I feel strange, I wonder if the philosopher's stone inside of me is reacting?" He watched his brother, examine the floor near Noa. "Do you think Brother feels anything? At home, when philosopher stones were near Alchemist's they'd react. I assumed I hadn't reacted to brother because the powers here work differently, and well, we're both tapped, perhaps I am reacting to the proximity of a power source…" With that thought he rolled up his sleeves and looked at his arms. No red lines, nothing. Than why was he feeling so odd?

Jack shrugged. "I don't know Al. You should ask him."

"This is it." Noa said, standing. "The center, the rift is here." She put a hand to her head, squinting. "It's a horrible cold feeling, like voices calling out."

"It's the Martians." Ed replied folding his arms, but Al got an overwhelming sense of worry from him. "I mean the Gelth."

"I'm sure they'd appreciate your inability to discern between the races Ed." Jack made his way to the electronic equipment. "Ok, you guys do your thing. I'll set up the TDS, ok?"

"Whatever." Edward waved a hand, than pulled out a piece of chalk. "Al?"

TDS, Al wasn't familiar with the term and Jack had gone out of his way to keep any information on his tech from them. It was frustrating, but he forced himself form asking questions, and directed his attention to his alchemy .Al removed his notebook form his pocket and flipped to the page with his dream array. " Brother." He said placing the book on an empty box. "It's going to take some time."

Ed broke his chalk in half and tossed it. "And a lot of chalk. Get drawing Al."

The chalk dropped in Al's hands. He rolled it between his fingers marveling at the dry soft powder. They were doing Alchemy together again. How long had it been? Honestly, not that long, the battle in central, was only months ago, but still, it felt like an age. A faint smile split Al's face and he knelt to the floor. "Ok, brother. I will take the outer circle. You do the inside ok?"

Edward walked around Noa gaze scanning up and down the room. "We the floor is covered with dust and decay, chalk will not be enough."

Kicking the concrete, Alphonse inhaled dust. It tickled his nose and burned his lungs. For a painful moment, he coughed into his hand.

Alarm washed over Edward's face and he ventured a step. "Alphonse, you're lungs are not well… The transmutation you did weakened you… If you must sit this out, I am fully capable…"

Edward was thinking about Alphonse Heidrich. "No both of us are necessary." Alphonse wiped his mouth with his sleeve. "And I will be fine brother. Your friend was dying of a disease of the lungs, I am not."

"If you insist." It surprised Al. Edward hadn't even flinched at his words. It was as if Al had read his thoughts, but the elder Elric hadn't even noticed. Rather, Edward's voice was skeptical. "We'll sketch it out with the chalk, and fill it in with paint. Noa, I will need that can of red paint we purchased."

"I'll get it." Noa turned, and vanished up the stairs.

"All right, Alphonse. Lets get started." Edward announced. "But you will tell me when you are spent. I want you to rest, ok?"

"Ok." And without any more discussion they set to their calculations. It was strange, neither one of them spoke, they just knew what to do and what the other was thinking.

It puzzled Al and he remembered how he could tell where his brother was on the ship shortly after the transmutation. This was the same feeling. It was as if they had become one, in heart and mind. The connection didn't seem to make either of them uncomfortable. Alphonse expected brother to notice or even object to the gestalt and that frightened Alphonse Elric. It was then the youngest Elric had to ask himself in hindsight, what did he do, when he healed his brother and whether he had made a mistake…

&&&

"Always such a pain in the ass." Jack muttered. Transdimensional Stabilizer units were normally shipboard equipment. They were balky, fussy things but necessary to prevent a time or warp-travelling vessel from abruptly taking off down multiple probability paths at once. When you were a time-traveller, the Many-Worlds interpretation of physics wasn't abstract theory, it was a description of how confusing your roadmap was. And without a properly calibrated TDS, you could end up trying six hundred and thirty-two routes to the same number of universes… at once.

Which, of course, meant that about 1/632nd of you would arrive at each destination. Usually spread out over about three cubic parsecs of space. Not a good result.

In this case, the TDS was just part of what he needed. Stabilizing the Cardiff rift was one thing; first he had to open the rift without tearing the fabric of spacetime wide open and causing a continuum eversion or, even worse, a charged vacuum emboitment to open right on the surface of the Earth. The idea of his homeworld being sucked from its native spacetime and deposited, possibly inside-out, in E-space or something even worse wasn't a particularly comforting one – especially since it would represent the greatest continuity break in universal history since the Time Wars, and would, just incidentally, erase Captain Jack Harkness from all time and space, which was to his mind by far the greatest potential tragedy in all this.

The Elrics were setting up their… array, as they called it. The shape of that array was as disturbingly familiar and impossible as the other indications he'd seen. He wasn't a student of alchemy or any of the mystical mumbo-jumbo the Thules went in for. So there was no reason at all he should recognize what they were doing.

But he did. It was a symbol out of legend, to his people perhaps as strong and resonant as the Cross to a Crusader. Or, more appropriately, as the Swastika would be in a few decades to any halfway civilized human beings on Earth.

The nested-figure eight symbols within the circle, with elaborate edgings, was something anyone of the Time Corps was intimately familiar with, even if it was part of something more legend than reality. It was the mark of the Timelords; the seal of Gallifrey itself.

More than anything, this proved his theory. There was no way these backward kids, product of some weird alternate universe, could know that symbol, let alone be applying it now in such a completely appropriate context… unless there really was a connection between them and the ancient Timelords, the race that had ruled the Continuum with an invincible, nigh-invisible iron fist until they and their archenemies, the Daleks, destroyed each other in the Time War whose merest echoes had destroyed worlds throughout time and space and reduced both combatants to shadowy legends, whispers of terror and wonder that no one could be sure had ever existed… except, perhaps, in the person of a mythical wanderer, a single renegade Time Lord mentioned in the histories of every known race of significance in the cosmos.

It made getting the boys home even more important. Jack shook his head and focused on the task at hand. He had to open the Rift. If they were right, that would activate the full power the Elric Brothers had to bring to bear and they'd be able to send themselves home, thanks to a combination of alchemy and good old 51st century technology.

The control panels were set up and functioning. He picked up a fractal space wedge generator and started probing for the Rift. No… no… Ah-HA. There it was. Charged chronons and reverse-phase tachyonic emissions galore.

Hmm. Didn't seem nearly as quiescent as he'd expected. Jack decided he'd better go carefully in the next stage. Another few wedges to widen the dimensional opening a bit and he could get a wormhole probe inside, make sure the rift wasn't unstable or holding any strange matter accumulated just inside, as happened on occasion with an unmaintained tesseract of this class.

"Harkness, how are you doing?" Ed demanded from his side of the array. His voice betrayed more strain than he probably wanted to reveal.

"Getting there. This isn't something you want to rush, Ed. It's not really like opening a door. More like trying to get a glass of water by forcing a very, very small crack open in the sluicegates of Hoover Dam." The probe showed clear, so it was time to really start moving. "Spacetime seems tough to most people, but that's because they just don't have the tools to mess with it. If you do, you pretty soon find out that it's damn delicate stuff and it doesn't react well to people poking at it, sort of like a sensitive woman."

Noa gave a nervous laugh.

Jack grinned at her, then pulled out a Hawking drill. "You boys about ready? I'm going to have the rift wide enough to use in about thirty seconds."

"Just say the word, Harkness. Me and Al are ready."

He felt the singularity penetrate and invert, levering open the rift. "NOW!"

The two brothers – looking very similar in their furrowed concentration – made identical cuts on their hands, placing a few drops of blood into the circle; then both placed their hands together, facing each other across the array, and slammed one hand down onto the circle's edge.

The Seal of Gallifrey blazed to life with a shrieking, moaning wail that made the hair on Jack's neck stand up. Blood-red and brilliant blue chased each other through the array like Möbius worms of lightning and doom. A howl came from the rift, a howl of voices hungry for release.

"Look out, kids! Looks like Noa was right! The Gelth –"

Something blurred across Jack's vision, too fast to follow. Sparks erupted from the TDS and control units, holes appearing in them as if by magic, and then something hit him like a wrecking ball with spikes of acid. If he hadn't been wearing inertial armor it would've splattered him across the room, a bug on a windshield. As it was, he pinballed across the room and smashed through one of the old metal grates, entangled in the ancient rusted iron.

A slender, effeminate figure stood now near the edge of the array, green-black dreadlocks framing a delicate, sneering face whose eyes danced with madness. One arm was wrapped tightly around Noa; the other ended not in a hand, but in dead-black spikes which rested against the girl's throat.

"Long time no see, Fullmetal Pipsqueak!"

Edward was frozen, an expression of loathing and fury balanced by fear for Noa. "Envy, you bastard."

"Oh, we're all bastards here, little Ed. Our beloved father never married anyone, you know that." The smile widened, showing fangs and more than a hint of anticipatory hysteria. "Now, you and Al just be good little boys and step into the circle right in front of you, or …" the homonculus drew one edged finger along Noa's throat, leaving a thin red trail, "… the cow gets turned to meat right here."

"Leave her alone, Envy! Your problem's with me, not her!"

"But SHE is important to you, runt. So my problem's with her too. But that's not why I'm here. I've got much, much bigger plans. Which involve the two of you helping me. Now step into the circle!"

"Will you let Noa go if we do what you say?" Alphonse asked, pleading.

Jack, trying to figure out how bad he was hurt, could see the contemptuous sneer and the narrowed eyes from where he lay. Envy clearly despised any kind of softer emotions, and Al was just going to provoke him without meaning to. "Sure, sure, creampuff. But only if you move your little ass. NOW!"

If Envy had been human, Jack knew, Ed would have taken a chance that he could out-move the androgynous psychopath. But the superhuman capabilities of the homonculus made that certain death for Noa. Glaring hatred at Envy, Edward Elric stepped forward in time with his brother, straight into the activated Seal of Gallifrey.

The Elric brothers blazed, one blue, one red, then the other blue, the other red, then both pure red, shining like stars in the dark underground room. Their features seemed to blur, become sketches of themselves… and then, like melting wax moving at a hundred times normal speed, they seemed to melt into pure light. The light spiralled in along the infinity-symbol core of the Seal, two currents of energy tearing through the Gelth and seeming to absorb them as it passed, accompanied by ethereal screaming, two streams of power that met in the center with a cataclysmic, silent detonation that staggered even the grinning Envy.

Jack took advantage of that shockwave to extricate himself partially from the tangled metal. Envy didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he considered the human beneath his notice. Good enough. Al, Jack's heart lurched sickeningly. The boy was gone, in blaze of light and he felt the agonizing pit of loss fill him. Al had trusted him, and now he was gone. Envy killed him and Edward; Jack intended to make sure this son-of-a-bitch met his maker in about as painful a way as he could think of, and he could think of one hell of a lot of ways.

Then the streams of light met. They boiled up in a spinning twisting column of energy that coalesced, shimmered, condensed into…

A single human figure. Jack stopped, staring, open-mouthed.

The figure was a shimmering shape of energy, red and blue picking out the features. It had a hand that seemed to be both metal and flesh, and eyes of innocence and anger. Noa stared, disbelieving. "Edward? Alphonse?"

"Yes…" the figure answered, two voices at once, from within the depths of the maelstrom of energy and ghostly shapes now pouring from the Rift. But instead of surging outward, the spiralling inward which had begun when Ed and Al… merged?… continued. The energy of a cosmos and the monstrous Gelth was not escaping, but being drained, concentrated, consumed by what Edward and Alfonse Elric had become.

"No…. Not again!" The howling voices within the storm of energy screamed. "Pity! Pity the Gelth!"

"Pity you were stuck in there." Envy said. "Well, you'll be more use this way, powering a Philosopher's Stone. A real Philosopher's Stone. And look, Al, you always wanted to be close to your brother!" The laugh the creature gave was neither warm nor sane. "Well, you will be, for as long as you live! Which will be about another … oh three or four minutes, I'd guess – just as long as it takes for your combined power to awaken the new Gateway within you!"

Horror and understanding crossed the face of the fused Elrics. "What?!?

"Al was the seed, carrying the child. Ed's the catalyst. And this lovely, lovely rift, it's the perfect soil for the seed."

"You're working for the Gate?!"

"The part of the Gate that hates as much as I do, Pipsqueak. I'll live forever doing what I do best – hurting you pathetic humans – and one day the Gate will control all realities, with my help. Fun, isn't it? And the last thing you'll ever see will be my smiling face!"

"Not if you don't have a face to smile with."

Envy turned his head slightly, to see Jack standing, a gun trained right between the homonculus' narrow eyes. "Wow, you're still alive. Great, I get to hurt you a second time. Bonus!" he said, contemptuously. "Even if you're good enough to shoot me without hitting the bitch, do you really think it'll do you any good?"

Jack grinned back. "Welcome to the 51st century."

A sledgehammer bolt of green fire took Envy full in the face, a spasm of agony flinging the delicate arms wide and sending an unharmed Noa staggering nearly to the edge of the array. Jack followed that shot with one from a second gun, this one firing a ghostly blue beam that enveloped Envy in an epileptic nimbus of fire that shimmered from shadowed light to glowing dark like a photographic negative and catapulted him, in turn, through the far wall.

Jack started after the homonculus – after what he'd been told, and what he'd seen, he didn't want to take any chances – but the hoarsely shouted "NO!" from the circle brought him up short.

Noa had stepped into the rift. The Gelth, sensing a true Medium, were desperately trying to reach her, to possess her, but they couldn't fight the draw of … Edal? Alphward? The Elric? Language wasn't meant to deal with these things.

Her power seemed to cause the energies to flow around her, failing to touch her, or to pass through without effect. She was one with the flow, yet apart from it, walking with careful precision along the spiraling pattern until she reached the brothers.

"Noa, get out!"

The beautiful Gypsy girl shook her head. "It is the only way. I should have seen … maybe I did."

She reached forward, and though the figure in front of her seemed composed of nothing but light and smoke, her hands framed its face, brought it forward. "I love you, Edward."

She kissed the brilliantly-glowing energy form that was all that remained of the Elric brothers, and her brow wrinkled for just a moment. Jack sensed that power of hers suddenly reach out…

The energy imploded, then blew outwards. Two nude figures flew out, impacting solidly against the floor. In the center of the Seal of Gallifrey, Noa stood, the Gelth and all the power of the Rift flowing into her.

"NOOOO!" both Ed and Al screamed. They tried to re-enter the circle, but the energies within kicked them backwards.

"I've got to stabilize the rift – seal it off!" Jack shouted to them. "It's her only chance – cut the flow off before it destroys her!"

Control panels wrecked… but not thoroughly. The little monster didn't understand the tech and probably didn't really care to do a thorough job anyway. If I cross-circuit from the TDS remaining control yoke and incorporate a reverse Hawking drill … could probably use the quantum probe to stabilize the damaged inverters… He looked at the indicators. Maybe ten minutes left… might be able to do it. Maybe. "Al! Ed! I need your help here, now!"

The boys hesitated a moment, indecision and anguish on both faces. Then they turned.

Just then rocks seemed to explode from the far wall. Envy staggered out, snarling, burns still slowly healing across most of his body, missing a large chunk from his face that left a half-skeletal grin. "Ooooohhhh, I am SO going to hurt you for… Oh, SH---"

A spear of edged steel impaled Envy in the chest, pinning him to the wall like a bug on a collection card. Edward Elric's automail had morphed into a thirty-foot spear. Blazing red light surrounded him. "You bastard, you wanted a real Philosopher's Stone? I'll give it to you – right up your fucking ASS!"

The two combatants came together with a shockwave that knocked Jack onto his own rear, then took off through the ceiling. He got up, dusting his hands off, and reached into the panels. "Well, Al, it looks like Ed's got things under control for now. Let's get that rift closed, okay?"

&&

A loud thundering echoed in his ears and a shower of plaster, brick dust and chunks of wood flooring rained down on them as Edward Elric and Envy crashed into the ceiling above and out of view.

A moment of confusion washed over him, as he stood staring blankly up, trying to place where he was. He could see Envy facing him and felt an unrelenting boiling anger as he swiped his bladed arm at the mocking homunculus. But that wasn't him ... that was Ed…

Nausea and pain hampered Al's stumbling movements as he sank to his knees at Jack's side. The boy ran his hand though his hair, sorting out his thoughts and feelings in an attempt to separate himself from his brother's driven and dominant force of personality.

"Hey, hey, Al are you with me?" Jack asked, touching his shoulder. "Noa needs you, you've got to focus and stop zoning, ok, kid?"

Shaking away the confusion, Al tried to focus on Jack and the jumbled machinery scattered before him. The man was trying to tell him something, but his words floated over his head, meaningless technobabble that he didn't have mind to understand.

Roaring, screams, flashes of lightning flared around him. Al shivered, gaze shifting to the massive maelstrom hammering the room.

Noa was in the center, a small vessel in a sea of hell. Hadn't Jack said, he needed his help? Why on earth couldn't he focus? That twisting nausea filled him and he swayed against Jack.

"I, I did this." Al whispered, looking at Jack, trying to fight his way back into mental control. "I, I, made us a single philosopher's stone. It… That thing is in me…And it tried to make Brother and I…" He shivered, and found an arm wrapped about him, pulling him close.

"It's ok, Al." Jack's hands held him out and his sharp blue eyes locked on to the boy. "I need that sharp cold head of yours all right?" He gestured to the pile of wrecked machinery. "You have to do that clappy thing, and put my equipment together so we can save Noa. Do you think you can do that?"

Noa, he forced his mind to the man before him, Jack was right, they needed to save her and he needed to use the truth to fix the gadgets in front of him with Alchemy. He tried to direct his thoughts, "What about that thing inside of me." He felt his stomach twist. He had known it the entire long hadn't he? The day he realized he needed to open the gate and face it was the day, deep inside of him, he realized the seed was there. But it terrified him too much to accept it.

Alphonse Elric licked his lips and swallowed. He had been used. He hugged himself shivering and a part of him didn't want to touch the truth at all. "I don't know if I can do it."

"You can do it." Jack informed him.

Out of the corner Al noticed a sleek gray form slipping from the shadows and trotting over to him. He had no idea how the animal survived the fray and the opening of the rift, but there he was. Einstein cocked his head; worry setting back his gray ears. It padded over to Al, rubbing against his hand and purring. The boy felt a glimmer of confidence. He nodded to the man, and kissed the kitten on the head. "Ok, we, I guess I am outnumbered… For Noa… What do I need to do?"

A crash from overhead, shook the foundation of the building as the boy let his mind shuffle though the infinite echoes of creation for any understanding of what he needed to repair….

&&&

A freight train slammed into his chest, driving him up and into the ceiling overhead. The next thing Edward Elric knew he was slamming into a solid brick wall and feeling it buckle under the sheer impact.

Well, that's good, he thought. Brick buckling instead of me, that is. He'd always been able to use his alchemy to reinforce himself, take blows that would shatter ordinary flesh and bone to pulp and powder. Any of the better alchemists could do it – old Armstrong maybe better than anyone.

He tumbled over and over across rotting floorboards and broken brick. Something was moving behind him – I know what THAT is… he rolled aside and came to his feet instantly.

Envy sprinted for him, hands bladed and deadly, a rictus of hatred pulling his mouth into a parody of a grin. "Time to end it, runt!"

The homonculus slashed furiously at Ed, who backed and dodged and blocked. Funny… he looks like he's really trying to kill me, but the bastard isn't moving nearly as fast as he usually does. Still, he was pretty fast, and the problem with a homonculus was that even if you did get in a good shot, they just got back up. If only he could see some vulnerable spot…

Suddenly he wasn't seeing Envy. Or rather, he was. In front of him was a titanic, moving constellation of uncountable particles, suffused and controlled by a matrix of energy, a matrix of mathematical precision.

What the hell?

A bladed wrecking ball ripped into him. "What's wrong, Fullmetal Pipsqueak? Run out of juice so soon? And I thought this might be fun!"

Ed gritted his teeth as he was battered through another wall. This is bad. Just took serious wounds. He forced himself to look down.

That might have been a mistake. It was worse than he thought. Funny how he felt no pain, the moment twisted into a surreal landscape of confusion and fear. If he'd fail here, and Envy would kill everyone. Even as Envy streaked toward him, Ed realized it might already be over. The homonculus' terrible edged hands had opened his gut, impaled one lung, and blood was spurting from a hole in Ed's leg. Too bad you can't just fix THAT like a broken radio, he thought, flashing back to the time he and Al had entered the desert town dominated by the false priest Cornello.

Envy threw him again, inhuman strength crushing the automail arm, sending him tumbling back the way they'd come.

He fetched up against one of the crumbling walls, gazing down at the hole in his stomach. If only he could do something about that…

Suddenly EVERYTHING dissolved into the uncounted, and uncountable, particles and shimmers of energy. But he could count them. Edward Elric in proper health was composed of 1.3681 x 1027 atoms, mostly oxygen and hydrogen with some carbon, nitrogen, calcium, and other materials. The floor under him was composed of several orders of magnitude more atoms, mostly cellulose – a polymer of glucose, C6H12O6. Envy was slightly larger than Edward, 1.6418 x 1027 atoms. More interesting were the energy fields surrounding both Edward and Envy, which permitted them to move as individual units. These were complex fields of multiple energies. Understanding the interaction of that many energies and atoms was…

Trivial. It's all mathematics. Edward understood, suddenly. For a moment, everything was completely clear. He could see himself, and Envy, and the building they were in, the repairs and redesigns and reconstructions of decades, and Jack and Al working desperately on Jack's machine, and Noa…

Noa! His Noa needed him! I have to live so I can save Noa!

Simple. It's all calculations. Just change the equations.

The knowledge came into his head so immediately, so completely, that he didn't even question it. Edit the computational matrix here, add a reinforcing function there, restore base values…

What about Envy? The homonculus was on his way, moving, yet caught in the frozen crystal of this alien perception. Not easy to destroy; energy fields self contained, cannot be directly altered without more work.

But… the Rift...

Vectors were calculated, transmutations of a thousand billion billion billion atoms determined, all in the space of time it took a heart to start a single beat.

No, I can't be like this. It's too much. Was this what the Truth beyond the Gate was? That he and Alphonse were nothing more than mere machines, components to some holdover from an ancient fallen civilization? It's the Truth beyond the Truth and he, Edward Elric, realized how easy it was to let it take him. "I'm losing my SELF, Dammit!"

Then let go. The calculations are complete. No further effort needed. Finish the action and revert.

What…?

Process initiated. Dematerialization and rematerialization begins. Block-transfer calculation finalized.

Time restarted.

Envy streaked towards him, a juggernaut of hate and insanity… skidding suddenly to a halt, an expression of utter disbelief on his face as he saw Edward rising from the wreckage, shimmering blue and red matrices of light appearing around him, erasing his wounds like mist in morning sun, restructuring the automail to full function.

And then the Fullmetal Alchemist brought his hands together and down. "SEE YOU IN HELL, ENVY!"

The floor beneath the homonculus dissolved instantaneously. "NO!" Envy screamed in frustrated rage, but even his speed and strength was useless against remorseless gravity dragging him downward, dropping him directly into the center of the Rift.

A howl of hunger and desperation came from the Rift as the Gelth tore and clawed at this new entry, trying to forge their own salvation from the energies released. But the Rift itself was beyond any control now, save the control of the girl who stood looking down with distant pity at the furious homonculus, the girl who simply shook her head and raised her eyes, dismissing him from her mind; and her mind was the Rift, and so with a scream of real horror, Envy was gone, gone as though he had never been.

&&&

Glassy eyed, Alphonse Elric clapped his hands together, reconstructing the bits and pieces of one of Jack's machines.

Overhead, Edward stumbled his way to the stairwell. The elder boy was pale and his thoughts were muddled. Like Alphonse, he didn't understand what had happened to them and was distressed by it.

Noa swayed in the center, fighting the creatures crawling though the rifts, and embracing the tide of power. She now understood why Jack feared the brothers, and why it was important for Edward and Al to return home.

"Jack! Jack! Goddamn it!" Edward snapped. He burst into the room, golden eyes a blaze with worry. He sprinted over to Jack, gaze only straying to Noa for a moment. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Fiddling with the newly repaired components, Jack gave Edward a fleeting glance. "Nice little trick you pulled there, dropping the old Flaming evil Palm Tree into the pit." He gestured to Noa. "Looks like she's holding her own, but we don't have much time."

Edward knew Jack was busy and he knew she was in danger but Noa saw so many things moving in and out of Edward's mind. The universe, the vortex, time, the truth…. He saw them all, and it was gnawing at him as if it wanted to consume his soul and leave him a lifeless mechanical shell. The older boy shivered arms wrapping about himself as he turned to face the Rift and her. He was helpless and hated it. "Can we save her?"

"Brother." Alphonse's voice shook. He reached out, grabbing Edward's hands and drawing him into his arms. "We're almost there, she's going to be all right."

"I just need one more…" Jack began.

Yes, one more transmutation, but every transmutation brought the Elric brothers closer to accessing the parts of themselves the rift opened. It would inevitably destroy their humanity.

A risk she did not wish to take. But she was different. She had read Edward's mind and in his memories looked into the truth. She felt it's fury, and saw beyond the tide of space-time. She was no alchemist, nor was she designed to channel such forces like the Elric brothers but she felt the rift coursing though her, and could see the world about her as fluctuating currents of energy and time.

Beyond the rift was the space time vortex and the void. Beyond the void were many worlds, including the world of Alchemy. All she needed to do was to let them cross safely, but altering the rift to form a single tunnel leading to their home.

"Edward Elric." Noa spoke, voice echoing with the screams of the Gelth clawing at her battered spirit. "It is too late for me, my dear husband."

"It's not too late, God damn it!" Edward shouted, straining against Al. "Jack, Jack, you tell her, we can stop it, we can free her!"

"And go where Edward?" Noa asked sadly. "Your pride would only make you seek out the forces that will inevitably destroy you."

She felt his heart as it thudded against his chest and saw anguish fill his gaze. Edward Elric despised losing the things he loved. "Noa…"

"Noa." Jack heaved a breath, meeting her gaze. He was confident he was capable of capping the rift. He was ready to run with them. Even he knew once the rift was closed, the Elrics would never return home, where they belonged. His life would change, he'd become a fugitive, and he accepted his fate, in order to save her… "Just a few more adjustments, and we'll have you out of there…"

Al was wordless, he held his brother closer, resigned to accepting the loss of his world. He feared the rift, for the thing inside of him was still there and likely to take hold of him if he was not careful.

"No, our time is short." Noa said firmly. "You must understand, other forces are coming. I can feel them rippling through time. We will not have time to run. Please Edward, trust me, and know this is the only way."

Yes she felt them, breaking the barriers with their great invisible ships, traveling though the wormholes like steamers in a sea of stars.

Yet Ed made no move, he just glared at her, eyes wide and lost. He stared longingly at her, tears trickling silently down his face and at that very instant, Edward Elric realized he was indeed in love with her and that she was forcing him to choose his world over her, and that was unacceptable in his mind. For Edward Elric was about sacrifice, and he'd give his soul for those he loved.

She had been selfish all her life, living in his mind, feeling his pain drinking in his thoughts. All she had ever done was take from Edward Elric, but now, now that had changed. His fate was in her hands, and her gift to him would be life and freedom.

With the power of her will, she commanded the opposing tides around her. "It is time."

&&&

The room around them shook and hot white lightning streaked across the rift. Noa's form, a blazing star in the center of a supernova of twisting hurricane winds. Her hands folded together, and her body washed away into pure white.

He was losing her. Edward Elric shoved his brother into Jack's arms and sprinted into the circle. He was hammered by the screaming forces swirling around him but sheer determination drove him forward. The energy ripped at his limbs, driving him backwards.

Ignoring the powers around him gripping his extremities like fingers pulling on his flesh, Edward trudged on. His body tingled, as the rift threatening to tear him apart. Willpower guided him step by step to the center, until his arms, tingling into blazing red, blue gold energy, wrapped tightly about her. "Noa! God Damn it! I can bring us home! I can do it!"

Her brightly glowing form turned to face him, large eyes opening into hauntingly eerie red pools of fire. "Edward… Don't."

"Without you I can't-- I'll be alone. I need your thoughts, touching my own…" He face twitched as he felt the wet of tears dripped off his chin and sizzled away from the bombardment of heat and lights around him. It was true, he had grown so used to her being there, and only now, he realized if she died, he'd miss her contact.

"Equivalent exchange, Edward." She said ethereal fingers tracing down his cheek. "My life for yours and Al. He can't live for just me. He needs you. Do you understand? This is for the best for everyone…"

"No, damn it, no it's not. I can send us home. I understand everything now. I know what the truth is. I know how I can use it to save us all. We can have everything we want. All I need to do is…"

"Give up your humanity for what lies beyond the truth? Do you want that Edward? Is being God what you really want?"

He couldn't answer. The truth and what lay beyond it was understanding and accessing forces capable of altering reality itself. It was the mathematical code knitting the universe together, a code guarded by an ancient and extinct race.

Yes, Jack was right, they were machines, and as machines he and Al were capable of accessing the truth and understanding and processing it. And with the rift, they could use their powers, to control and guide space in time to their whims. All he needed to do was accept what he was, and become the closest thing he could conceive as a god.

But Edward Elric as he was would need to die.

"Brother." Al pulled against Jack's arms. Tears filling his eyes. "Don't, brother, don't!"

"We could rewrite history, Al." Edward said, voice hitching with grief. "Mom doesn't need to die. You don't need to ever lose your body…Loir and Ishball never needed to happen. Winry could have her parents back! Everything could be perfect, and we could all be happy."

"You can't change time and space to suit your own needs!" Jack shouted. "How many other people will suffer? Time flows the way it does for a reason."

Al's lips trembled as he shook his head. "No, brother, change things, and I won't be who I am. I like who I am… Please don't do this, I need you!"

"But Al…"

"We've played god once, brother, lets not repeat our sins, ok? I love you. I don't want to lose you. I don't need mother, or our home, I need you, Brother."

Noa pushed Edward away, the world around them shifting and changing. "Listen to him, Edward. Our time together is over. This is my fate, one I gladly accept. I have been selfish too long. Go with Al, go home, let go of your sins."

Suddenly he was standing beside Jack and Al. There was a thunderous crash from over head, and Edward saw the hole in the ceiling above was bathed in a blue light and growing.

Einstein hissed, back raised and fur standing and Jack's gaze narrowed. "Damn it!" He released Al, and pulled out the small hand held gun he had used on Envy. "We've got 51st century company, boys. I'll hold them off." He glanced to Noa, face softening. "Make sure they get home." Than to Al, he kissed the boy on the forehead. "Take care of him, ok? Make sure he doesn't go God on us. It's the last thing we need, ok? "

Wiping away tears, Al nodded and swiftly kissed the man on the cheek than backed away. "Thank you for everything. Jack, don't get killed on me, ok? I want to see you again, when I grow up. "

"See you later. Ed, stay out of trouble." Jack saluted, than sprinted to the stairs. Einstein at his heels.

Swallowing, Edward looked down, hands slipping around Al's warm body and holding him tight. Their link had not faded, and he sensed the boy's mind was filled with a mixture of worry and helplessness. The boy loved Jack dearly and was very sad to see the man go. "He's too annoying to die, Al." Edward whispered nuzzling the boy's hair with his nose. "He'll be fine." Resigned, he looked to Noa. His lips parted as if to speak.

But she already knew his words. The world around them bled gold, then twisted, a turbulent centrifuge of colored lights and echoing sound, which faded into pure white, like the void before the gate.

A moment later, they stood in a dark, boarded-up church, with slivers of light burning though multicolored stained glass. The smells of must and rotting boards filled his burning lungs. It was all too familiar. Edward flashed a glance to the darkened pews and wooden altar with crucifix and dying god hanging on the wall.

Noa's form wavered, her features pale as she stumbled. Releasing Alphonse, Edward Elric caught her. Her face was deathly cold, and he felt no pulse. Noa Elric reached up, feeble fingers brushing though Edward's hair. "Please."

She didn't need to finish her breathless words her felt them in his heart. Edward sucked in a sob. "Yes, I do. I do love you…"

She smiled and the light faded from her eyes, leaving his thoughts alone. Trembling, Edward buried his face into her chest, and sank to his knees. He gave a lost sob, clutching the body and rocking her in his arms. He was only vaguely conscious of Alphonse standing near by, hand on his shoulder.

She was gone, taken from him like Alphons, and his father…

It seemed to be his destiny to lose the people he loved.

Trembling, he looked up tear glazed eyes, barely focusing on the boy standing beside him. "Alphonse."

"It is the church, brother." Alphonse whispered. "We are in Central. " He knelt down, gathering both Edward and Noa in his arms, and leaned his brow into his brother's shoulder. He held in a sob, face fluent with grief. "I was fond of her too, brother. Very fond of her, and I feel how sad you are, but, let's not let what she and Jack gave us go in vain. We have a second chance now. We are home. Where we belong…"

"Yes." Edward kissed Noa's brow. He closed his eyes against tears, and shivered. The pain was a dark lonely pain and her comforting touch was gone. Why did something that had threatened him so in the past become so important now? "Home. We have come home, Noa, and I shall take you to Risenbol and put you in the Earth beside my mother." He gave a sad smile, smoothing her hair from her face. She was pale and lovely. He could see peace on her face, peace she only had in life when close to him. "You will like it there, there is a big tree and no one will judge you. I will never forget what you have done for my brother and I. Never…" He looked across the to the alter and the crucifix hanging over it. Hadn't she been Christian, or was it Jewish? He wasn't sure, but this place reminded him of the other world. It was a fitting location for the rift to open up to, he thought, very fitting.

With Alphonse's help, he came to a stand. "I'll be all right Al." He sais, seeing his brother's hollow gaze. "We're together, isn't that what matters? It was important to her, we stay together."

"Yes brother." Alphonse peered around, his brow furrowing. "Einstein was left behind." He said sadly. "I hope Jack takes good care of him."

"I'm sure he will." Edward reassured him. Jack cared for Al. He'd look after the cat for them. With luck, the man would con his way out of the mess he had gotten himself into by helping them. He sighed, and with shaky legs, Edward Elric carried his wife out into the light.

&&&

Epilogue

In the black velvet of night, Alphonse Elric bolted up, body slick with sweat a scream trembling off his lips. He could hear their ethereal screams, clawing at his being, crying for freedom as they spiraled helplessly into his being.

The boy trembled, brain filled with numbers and formula. The truth, echoing endlessly in his mind as he doubled over, panting horror filled breaths.

He felt a stirring beside him, and saw Edward startle awake beside him. The elder Alchemist turned to face him arms pulling him over and rocking him gently on his lap. "It is all right, Alphonse. I am here, it was just a dream." The older boy's words were soft, and lulled him back away from the dark foreboding horrors of his sins. Alphonse Elric shivered, holding tight to Edward, glassy gaze blinking at the starlight shimmering though their half open window. The sounds of crickets and gentle rustle of leaves helped to ease his fears and relax him.

They were home, in Rizenbol, living with the Rockbells, until Edward sorted out his affairs with the state Military.

Weary, Alphonse let his body sag against Edward, and looked up to the young man. Wisps of long gold hair hung in Edward's face, as he gently stroked Al's back. "I was back in the rift." Al said glancing over to the window. "Hearing them, and losing who I was."

"It's over with." Edward said softly, pulling the blankets around them. Alphonse was not sleeping well, and his brother insisted on sharing the room with him until the nightmares stopped. "I know how frightening the memories seem, but it's in the past now. It will be ok."

Al shivered body curling closer to Edward. "But it isn't it still there, that thing, inside of me?"

The older boy was unable to answer him. Rather, Edward looked off toward the window, thoughtful. Al watched aware his brother was incapable of answering him. Neither of them were sure if Al still carried the gate spawn. It was possible, and in the end, neither of them planned on testing it. Until then, Al lived with the nightmares, and prayed for the day for them to fade into oblivion. He knew Edward had them too -- they were so closely linked -- and Al was certain Edward's dreams were identical to his. The older Alchemist just grieved privately for the dreams had a different meaning for him.

"Brother, do you ever wonder what it would be like to let it take you?" Al asked. He drew away, hugging his knees and looking off into the dark shadows of the room.

"You mean give in and become a god?" A faint smile twitched across the older boy's face. He patted Al on the shoulder. "The cost was too great and I would have lost the thing I had been fighting for all along."

Knowing, Al nodded. They had fought for years to be with each other, to have a life of freedom and happiness. Becoming one with the truth would take all that away. In the end being human, vulnerable and finite was what mattered. Even if it did on more than one occasion hurt. "I wonder." Al replied, "But the thoughts, they were so alien."

"Yes, yes, they were." Ed agreed. He stretched, and came to his feet. "It's early, but I'll never get back to sleep." He informed. "I'll make us some coffee."

Grabbing his robe from a chair beside the bed, Al joined Ed. Already the dream was fading. "We'll have to be quiet. We'll wake up Auntie Pinako and Winry."

"Yeh, let them deal." Ed crossed the room to the door. He was dressed in a tank t-shirt and boxer shorts, and appeared not to mind the morning chill.

Slipping on his slippers, Al followed his brother out the door and down the hall. They had been living with Winry and Pinako since they arrived in Rizenbol a month ago. It had been awkward at first. Ed was moody and refused to discuss what happened to them in the other world. He seemed lost when it came to Noa, never once removing his wedding ring, and always gazing into space if Al asked how he was coping with her loss. Still, they were healing, the time home was helping, and Al even thought he and Edward would be ready to move out and make an Alchemy shop of their own in town.

It was something to look forward to and both boys had the support of their friends, which was in the end, very important. "I can make some toast, and there are eggs in the icebox." Al said. "You went to the butcher the other day, isn't there bacon as well?"

"Don't know, I thought it was used last night." Edward he checked his silver pocket watch, brow wrinkling. "We've got two more hours before the milk man comes. Until then, you'll have to use jam on your toast. We have no butter."

"I'll live." Al tiptoed after his brother careful not to talk above a whisper. Winry was cranky when she didn't get her sleep and she spent long nights up working. She had become quite accomplished as an automail mechanic and surgeon and was now in high demand for her work. Neither she or Pinako had changed their lifestyles since the Elric brothers moved in. Rather, they gave the boys space, and encouraged them to take whatever time they needed to heal. All in all, Al was happy to be home. It almost made the complications with the rift worth it all.

Turning up the gas lamps, they entered the kitchen, and Al went to the icebox, opening it and removing the eggs and lard for cooking. He sliced four pieces of bread and placed them into the oven. Edward, boiled water, and hand ground coffee. They both worked in silence, savoring the tranquility of the peaceful morning.

The faint golden rays of the sun leaked though the window, bathing the cool room with it warm fingers. Edward scooped the coffee grounds into a small wire filter and poured warm water into it. When he was finished he had two steaming cups of coffee. He tasted it, and Al saw him wince a little.

"Is it strong?" Al asked breaking an egg into melted lard.

The Alchemist nodded sipping the liquid and sitting at the table. "I need it."

Al grabbed a cup and tasted it. It was robust with a hint of bitterness. Letting the four eggs sizzle in the pan, he grabbed a bottle of milk from the icebox. There was still some cream on top, just enough to add to his coffee. "I miss him." Al said softly, looking over at Edward. "I miss Noa, and Einstein too."

Edward swallowed hard. "Better watch those eggs, they'll be like eating rubber."

He was avoiding the subject. Al expected that. He flipped the eggs and after a moment slid them onto two plates. After removing the last of the toast from the oven, Alphonse placed the plates on the table. "They'll be fine." He studied Edward. He was turning the wedding ring on his finger, looking distracted. "Do you think her soul is still in the rift?"

"It's possible." Ed said. He turned his attention to the food. "But I doubt it. She wasn't designed to channel that kind of power. Not like we were."

"Jack knew it all along too. Or suspected it. What do you think?" Al slathered his toast with Gracia's home made peach jam. When they arrived in central, Colonel Mustang arranged for them to stay with Gracia for a few days until he arranged a leave of absence for Edward.

"I think he was wise to not tell us." Edward replied. "I'm still pissed at him for not saying anything, but…" He dipped his toast into an egg, breaking its flesh and bathing the bread in golden yolk. "I would have done the same thing."

Al dumped several spoonfuls of sugar into his coffee until it was very sweet. "Yes, well, even if he did hide things, I still miss him. You know, brother, good things did happen… Despite the Kaiser, and the cancer…"

After washing his toast down with coffee Edward looked down at his plate. He shook his head, tears rimming his eyes. One hand strayed to the ring on his finger. "That's why I keep you around, Al." He said, voice hitching with emotion. "You always find the cloud with the silver lining."

Al smiled. "Someone has too. If we were both cynics, we'd get no place in life and I for one don't fancy spending my soul existence locked up in a lab and library because I've lost hope in people or the world around me."

"I can't argue with that." Edward agreed, his mood lightening. "I just wish I hadn't been so…"

"Blind?" Al asked, knowing Edward was talking about his feelings for Noa.

"Defensive." Edward said. "I… We had something special, I didn't need to say a thing to her. She knew me, and understood me, and I spent far to much time pushing her away."

"Brother, she accepted that." Al informed. "And, in the end, you did tell her." He reached out, fingers curling about Edward's hand and squeezing it. "She did what she did because she knew it was for our happiness. And you trusted her in the end. You trusted her, and I. That was very important. You did well, brother. I think we've both learned a lesson there and it has made us better for it.'

"You make it sound so simple, Al." Edward sighed.

"That is because in the end it is, brother." Releasing his brother's hands, the boy returned to his meal, swallowing bits of egg, and eating toast.

Edward finished his meal in silence, and dropped his dishes in the sink. "I think I want to visit mom and Noa today." He said leaning against the sink.

Outside Al heard some thumping. "The milk man is here." He said, straying his attention to the toast. "I think I want to have another cup of coffee. Plenty of cream now."

Edward nodded. He grabbed for the kettle and put it back on the stove. "Are you sure? It's too early."

"Positive." Al came to his feet and crossed the kitchen to the door. He opened it, to see a cardboard box, with several books, a phonograph, and a gray kitten cleaning himself on top.

In the distance he heard a low groaning and wheezing, like a needle scratching repeatedly over the face of a record. The boy frowned. Squinting in the morning light, down the porch to something large fading out of sight.

A machine?

"Brother." He said, reaching down and picking up the kitten. He held it up, seeing a set of very familiar green eyes. The animal hadn't changed. It didn't look a day older than the day they left. "We got a delivery." He announced. He hugged the kitten close and turned to face a startled Edward. He held the kitten out arms length, eye moist. "Einstein!"

Einstein purred, and wiggled in Al's hands, tiny claws batting the air. It was a good thing Den was sleeping in Winry's room that morning. Poor Einstein needed a slow introduction to the dog.

"Einstein?" Edward lifted a brow. He pushed past Al looking down at the box and things on top. "My note book!" he flipped though it, scrutinizing its contents. "All my research is there! Everything, including my notes on the rift."

Letting his brother pick up the box and carry it into the kitchen, Al couldn't help but feel excitement. He embraced the kitten, feeling it wiggle in his arms. It was Jack he was breaking the rules again… For them. "Yes, and I bet mine is there too…"

Edward riffled though the box again until he pulled out a large bound book triumphantly. "My Sherlock Holmes collection."

"Yes, well, you definitely need something to complain about. Doyle and all." Al smiled. He let Einstein climb up to his shoulder and settle against the nape of his neck. With his hands free, Al poked into the box himself. He came across a framed photo. It was of Edward and Noa on their wedding day. The boy's eyes filled with water as he lifted it out and studied it. There was an envelope tacked to its back.

"Brother." Al took the envelope and handed the picture to Ed. "Do you want this?"

"The worse day of my life." Edward said, taking the picture and looking at it. "I don't know if I want to remember her that way." He placed the photo down, eyeing the letter in Alphonse's hand. "From Jack?"

"Yes." Al said, scanning the parchment. The handwriting was impeccably neat, and the paper itself was lightweight and smooth. In the corner was an address and date on it: Torchwood December 13, 2006.

"Almost 80 years from now. "Al informed amazed. Jack had returned from the future, granted it was not the 51st century. Perhaps he was on the run. "It says: Al, Edward:

sorry it took so long for me to get back to you. Things got a little complicated when you left. I'm only now starting to remember my mission and the day we met. The time agency erased my memory. They weren't exactly pleased with the outcome and it's taken until now for me to remember everything clearly. But I wanted to let you know, it was worth it in the end.

I hope the two of you are well.

I'm sorry about Noa, she was one hell of a gal. I enclosed her things in the box. She KEPT the wedding picture. I'm not sure why, but it was important to her.

The phonograph and records are there too. Al, I found a good recording of Rhapsody in Blue and some ragtime you'd like to listen to. Enjoy. Miss you kid.

If it wasn't for you, I don't know if I'd ever understand the difference between being good at what I do and being a decent human being…I'll always cherish that.

Ed, your books are there, along with some of the books from the 51st century. I trust you won't abuse them. I'm giving them to you because I damn well know you'll be digging into things on your end, and finding more trouble. You know what they say about the cute ones. They're nothing but trouble. Especially when they're blond.

I'm sorry I can't stay, crossing over is difficult, and without certain powers in place, unregulated and strictly forbidden. It's best your world is left untouched and undiscovered by the other powers existing in our universe. Some things need to stay dead. I'm sure both you and Edward understand that.

I'm not sure about this gate spawn thing inside of Al -- it might have been burned out when Noa blasted the two of you out of the rift. I would have to run a few tests to verify it; but if you're not planning on traveling though rifts in temporal space, I honestly wouldn't worry about it.

Take care Al, I doubt we'll meet again, have a good life, and remember to keep your brother out of trouble.

Ed, we've all learned our lessons, keep in mind you're not the only one in your life. And believe it or not, I'll miss you're smiling face and cute little ass.

Love

Jack Harkness."

Edward snorted, folding his arms. "Damn bastard had to get the last shot in." He looked at the letter shaking his head. He's face was red with a rosy blush.

Al giggled, fingers tracing over Einstein's soft fur. "Well at least we know he's alive and well. Makes me feel a world better." Al folded the letter and shoved it in his notebook. He was less stressed now. The letter gave him some hope perhaps them being happy wasn't a bad thing. "Well, I think we should take this and read it to Noa, now. Don't you?"

He saw Edward smirk. He scruffed Al's head and nodded. "Ok, Al, I'm sure she'd loved to hear it."

"I'm sure she will, brother. It's what she wanted you know. For us to be free and happy…"

Edward Elric lifted his head, peering up, with light glinting in his golden gaze. The young man gave a curt nod and wrapped an arm around the boy. The hurt was still there, but Al could recognize he was healing. "Yes, yes she would, Al. I guess she did the right thing, didn't she?"

"She did, Brother. Really. I believe that. We all need to make sacrifices for love. And Noa didn't think any differently, you know." Al took his arm and led him into the hall. It was time to move on. "We have two good legs, it's time to use them. But until then, I think we have to get dressed!"

"You're starting to sound like Jack." Edward moaned. "Please, knock it off, or I'll have to kill you…."

The two of them laughed, ducking their way down the hall. It was a new day, and for the first time, the nightmares seemed just a little less painful.


End file.
